Maqlouba, Arabic for 'upside-down', is one of the Levant's most theatrical and beloved dishes. Its earliest documented form appears in the 13th-century Baghdad cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh, where it is described as a layered rice preparation of great ceremony. Cumin is the essential warm base note in both the meat and rice, binding together lamb, caramelised aubergine, cauliflower, and tomatoes into a single aromatic column that is inverted onto the platter at the table: the moment of reveal a small act of theatre at every Palestinian and Jordanian family table.
Ingredients
Meat
800 g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces
1 large onion, halved
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Rice
2 cups Egyptian or short-grain rice, soaked 30 mins
1 tsp ground cumin
Vegetables
1 large aubergine, sliced into 1cm rounds
0.5 head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 medium tomatoes, sliced into rounds
4 tbsp olive oil, for frying vegetables
Seasoning
to taste salt and black pepper
To serve
30 g toasted pine nuts and flaked almonds, to serve
plain yogurt or cucumber-yogurt salad, to serve
Method
Place the lamb pieces in a pot with the halved onion, cumin seeds, allspice, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and enough water to cover (about 1.5 litres). Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer covered for 60 minutes until the lamb is tender. Reserve the broth; you need 3 cups.
Salt the aubergine slices and leave 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry. Fry the aubergine rounds and cauliflower florets in olive oil in a wide frying pan until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Drain and rinse the soaked rice. Season with ground cumin, salt, and a pinch of allspice and mix well.
In a large, heavy-based pot (at least 24cm diameter), arrange the tomato slices on the bottom in a single layer. Layer the fried aubergine over the tomatoes, then the cauliflower. Lay the cooked lamb pieces over the vegetables. Pack the seasoned rice evenly over the lamb.
Pour 3 cups of the reserved warm lamb broth slowly over the rice, allowing it to seep down through the layers. The broth should just reach the surface of the rice. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, then reduce to the lowest flame and cook for a further 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave to rest, lid on, for 10 minutes. Place a large round serving platter over the pot. In one confident motion, invert the pot onto the platter. Leave the pot in place for 1 minute before lifting it slowly, allowing the maqlouba to settle.
Scatter toasted pine nuts and flaked almonds over the top. Serve immediately with plain yogurt or a simple cucumber-yogurt salad alongside.
Serve from the platter at the table: the golden tomato and aubergine crust on top, the fragrant rice beneath, and the tender lamb distributed through the layers.
Notes
Maqlouba can be made with chicken in place of lamb; use a whole chicken jointed and reduce the initial simmer to 40 minutes. The key to a successful flip is a wide, heavy pot and enough resting time. If the dish collapses, serve it as a rustic rice; it tastes identical.
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