There is nothing “upside-down” about this dish, except for the fact that you turn it upside down onto a serving platter and present it like a cake. It is absolutely delightful and incredibly impressive, aromatic, and full of flavour. It is traditionally made with lamb, but you can also prepare it with chicken if you prefer.
Maklubeh – Upside-Down Rice
There is nothing “upside-down” about this dish, except for the fact that you turn it upside down onto a serving platter and present it like a cake. It is absolutely delightful and incredibly impressive, aromatic, and full of flavour. It is traditionally made with lamb, but you can also prepare it with chicken if you prefer.
Ingredients
For the Lamb
- 800 g boneless lamb cut into cubes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 5 cardamom pods lightly crushed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Salt
For the Rice and Vegetables
- 2 cups basmati rice
- ⅓ cup olive oil plus 5 additional tablespoons
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large eggplant cut into approximately 2 cm cubes
- 1 small cauliflower divided into small florets
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- Toasted almonds
- Fresh coriander finely chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- Combine all the spices for the lamb in a small bowl. Place the lamb in a large bowl and add the spice mixture. Mix well so that the spices coat the lamb evenly. Season with salt and mix again. Leave the lamb to marinate for at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight.
- In a deep saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Sauté the marinated lamb in two batches until nicely browned. In the same saucepan, add the chicken stock and 4 additional cups of boiling water. Return the lamb to the saucepan, cover it, and simmer for about 1 hour, until the lamb is thoroughly cooked and tender. If you prefer, you can also cook it in a pressure cooker. The important thing is for the lamb to become very tender.
- Place the rice in a bowl with plenty of cold water and leave it to soak for about 1 hour.
- While the lamb is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Place the cubed eggplant and cauliflower florets on a baking tray. Drizzle them with ⅓ cup of olive oil and mix well so that the oil coats all the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes.
- Drain the lamb, reserving the cooking liquid, which is now a delicious stock. Measure the stock; you should have 4 cups. If there is less, we top it up with water.
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté briefly until they soften and begin to colour. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. Add the cooked lamb, eggplant, and cauliflower to the same saucepan, followed by the pepper, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Stir gently so that everything comes together and reaches a gentle simmer.
- ASSEMBLING THE DISH
- Drain the rice and rinse it thoroughly. Place it in a bowl and mix it well with the melted butter.
- In a large, deep frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Slice the tomatoes into rounds and arrange them over the entire bottom of the pan, covering it completely.
- Spoon the lamb and vegetable mixture over the tomatoes and spread it evenly. Finally, add the rice, spreading it out so that it covers everything evenly.
- Pour over the 4 cups of reserved lamb stock. Cover the pan with its lid or with aluminium foil and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Afterwards, cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel, place the lid back on, and leave the dish to rest for 30 minutes.
- To serve, you carefully invert the dish onto a large, round serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, if desired, and garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander.
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