Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2024)

Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (1)

Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2)

Serves 6 to 8

Maqluba, in Arabic, means upside-down. This layered rice and vegetable dish is a showstopper! It is traditionally served in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria. Don't be intimidated by the number of steps—it's actually pretty easy and well worth the effort. Find fried onions for the garnish in the grocery aisle; they add bothcrunchandflavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed (1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 large eggplant, cubed (2 cups)
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Seeds from 5 cardamom pods
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 pound ground lamb or beef (omit for a vegetarian version)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 -4 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
  • 3 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth, room temperature (plus up to 1 cup more, if needed, as rice cooks)
  • OPTIONAL:
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves or cilantro
  • 1/4 cup crispy fried onions

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place cubed potato on lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Add eggplant, drizzle with another 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return to oven 10 minutes or until vegetables are browned.
  3. While vegetables roast, rinse rice in a strainer. Place rice in a bowl, cover with warm water, and soak 20 minutes. (While rice soaks, proceed to step 4.) After 20 minutes, drain rice and season with 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons salt.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 - 2 tablespoons oil. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining spices. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add ground meat and tomato paste. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Set aside.
  5. Line bottom of a 3 to 4-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid with a circle of parchment paper. Brush 2 tablespoons olive oil over parchment. Arrange slices of tomato over parchment in 2 layers.
  6. Top tomatoes with roasted potatoes and eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over vegetables and press down with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a large spoon.
  7. Cover with drained rice. Carefully pour 3 cups room-temperature broth over rice, so as not to disrupt the grains. Do not stir.
  8. Bring contents of pot to a gentle boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer. Cover pot with a sheet of foil. Then place lid over the foil on the pot. Crimp extra foil around the rim where the lid meets the pan to seal in the steam. Simmer gently 15 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and lid. Carefully fluff just the top layer of rice, stirring center grains to the outside for even cooking. Re-cover with foil and lid and cook another 25 minutes. Check doneness of rice. If it's not yet cooked through, fluff again and add a little more broth. Simmer gently 5 to 10 minutes longer or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside 10 to 20 minutes before inverting.
  10. Place a large, rimmed platter over the top of the pan. Protect your hands with oven mitts. In one swift motion, hold the platter in place and carefully invert the maqluba onto the platter. Carefully remove the pan. Garnish with pine nuts, parsley, and fried onions. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
  11. Cook's Tip:
  12. If your maqluba falls apart as you invert it, don't worry. Garnish and enjoy ? it will taste just as good! You can also present it in a beautiful bowl for an elegant presentation.

Nutrition:

Amount Per Serving (based on 8 servings)

Calories: 450

Fat: 21 g

Saturated Fat: 7 g

Trans Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 40 mg

Sodium: 440 mg

Carbohydrates: 51 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 4 g

Added Sugars: 0 g

Protein: 256 g

We provide nutritional information for our delicious recipes to help you select foods that meet your health and lifestyle goals. Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of recipes and information. Nutritional data is intended for educational purposes, and not for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure of any medical condition. Please consult your healthcare provider for specific advice on diet and health. Click here to learn how we analyze the nutritional value of our recipes.

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Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2024)

FAQs

How to not burn maqluba? ›

Adding potato slices at the bottom of the pot.

Potatoes prevent the chicken from burning at the base of the pot and eggplants from sticking and burning. Cut your potatoes in 2-3 cm thick slices so they hold their shape. Also, don't forget to season the potatoes even if they're not part of the main dish.

What does maqluba mean in Arabic? ›

A Palestinian tradition, maqluba means “upside down” in Arabic and is a pot of stewed meat, rice and fried vegetables, cooked and flipped onto a serving dish to form an impressive tower.

What is the upside down meal plan? ›

Known as the 'upside-down diet' or reverse dieting, it follows only one simple rule: eat your biggest meal for breakfast, followed by a medium-sized meal at lunch and your smallest meal for dinner.

What country has the national dish of maqluba? ›

Maqluba or makloubeh is a Middle Eastern upside down chicken and rice dish that's served in various permutations across the Levant. It's often referred to as the national dish of Palestine and it's something I grew up eating.

How do you stop the burning process? ›

First aid
  1. Stop the burning process by removing clothing and irrigating the burns.
  2. Extinguish flames by allowing the patient to roll on the ground, or by applying a blanket, or by using water or other fire-extinguishing liquids.
  3. Use cool running water to reduce the temperature of the burn.
Oct 13, 2023

Are maqluba and biryani the same? ›

Biryani, maqluba, and mandi are some of the well-known examples of Arabian spiced rice dishes. Biryani is a mixed rice dish layered with meat, vegetables, and a blend of spices, while maqluba is an upside-down rice casserole with meat and vegetables.

Do Egyptians eat maqluba? ›

This recipe for Maqluba is one that I learned about from my kitchen assistant, who is Palestinian. It's a traditional and popular recipe in Palestine, although it's also made in other countries in the Middle East like Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

Who invented maqluba? ›

Well, there are many stories about the origin of maqluba. One particular story says that it was invented by a Syrian cook who was trying to impress a visiting dignitary. Another suggests that it was created during the time of the Crusades by Arab cooks who were trying to come up with a new way to use leftover rice!

What is upside down dinner in Arabic? ›

Maqluba (also attsted by a variety of other spellings in English; Arabic: مَقْلُوبَة, romanized: maqlūba, lit. 'upside-down') is a traditional Levantine dish that is popular across Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.

How to lose belly fat dinner? ›

Studies indicate that a diet rich in high-protein foods, such as eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat, and dairy results in overall less abdominal fat, more satiety, and an increased metabolic function. Adding fiber-rich foods to meals is also key to keeping off belly fat.

Can you swallow food when you are upside down how? ›

Yes it will go through your alimentary canal. The reason is due to the process of peristalsis, the muscular contractions that move food through the canal. Just take a look at astronauts, they are able to have perfectly normal movements in outer space (zero gravity)

What allows us to eat upside down? ›

You Can Eat Upside Down.

Food doesn't need gravity to reach your stomach. When you eat something, the muscles in your esophagus constrict and relax in a wavelike manner, which is called peristalsis and pushes food along the esophagus and into the stomach. It's difficult to eat upside down, but it's possible.

What kind of food do Palestinians eat? ›

Rice and variations of kibbee are common in the Galilee. The West Bank engages primarily in heavier meals involving the use of taboon bread, rice and meat, and coastal plain inhabitants frequent fish, other seafood, and lentils.

What is the translation of maqluba? ›

Maqluba, which literally means "upside down" in Arabic, is like a Middle Eastern savory version of an upside-down cake, except unlike a cake it's a complete meal that packs carbs, veggies and protein.

Which country is known for eating rice? ›

China. China has the distinction of being the world's biggest producer and consumer of rice on an annual basis. Rice consumption behaviour varies across different regions of China.

How do you keep curry from burning? ›

Add Lemon Juice

Lemon juice works as an effective remedy to fix burnt curries. Since lemon is acidic in nature, it helps in balancing out the flavours. You could also use vinegar, white wine, or tomatoes, depending on the type of curry that you are making.

How do you keep spices from burning? ›

Keeping them whole ensures that the volatile oils within the spices will stay within the spice and won't burn off once they have hit the oil. Once ground, the spices have a greater tendency to burn in the oil because they much smaller particles that hit the pan than they would be in the whole spice.

How do I stop my food from burning? ›

Start with a low heat and then gradually turn to medium or high. Or, if you like your food a little charred, you can start with high heat, and then switch it to medium and low to finish cooking. Stirring is also a great way to prevent your food from burning as it doesn't let the food stick to the bottom of the pan.

How do you not burn vegetables? ›

Whether you're roasting delicate red onions or hardy parsnips, for even cooking make sure you cut the vegetables into equal-size pieces. Smaller pieces cook faster, but cutting large pieces ensures you don't overcook or burn your vegetables.

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