Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice with Chicken & Eggplant)
مقلوبہ (الٹا چاول، مرغی اور بینگن کے ساتھ)
Maqluba means "upside down", and the moment of turning it out is the whole show. Layers of fried eggplant, cauliflower and potato, spiced chicken and rice are cooked together in one pot, then the pot is flipped onto a big platter and lifted away to reveal a golden dome with the vegetables on top. It's a beloved family dish in Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, often made on Fridays, and it's served with yogurt and salad. It looks dramatic but is very forgiving.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 55 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Cook: 1 hr 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Simmer the chicken with the water, onion, half the spices and 1 tsp salt for 30 minutes. Lift out the chicken and keep the stock.
Salt the eggplant for 20 minutes and pat dry. Fry the eggplant, cauliflower and potato in batches until golden and drain well. (Or brush with oil and roast at 220°C for 25 minutes.)
Line the bottom of a heavy, straight-sided pot with tomato slices. Layer the chicken, then the fried vegetables. Mix the drained rice with the remaining spices and salt and spread over the top, pressing gently.
Pour in enough hot stock to cover the rice by 2 cm. Put a plate on top, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 30–35 minutes until the rice is tender. Rest 15 minutes.
Put a large platter over the pot and, holding both firmly, flip it over in one go. Tap the pot, wait a minute, then lift it off slowly. Scatter with toasted nuts.
Kitchen notes
Use a pot with straight sides and a heavy base, so the maqluba keeps its shape when flipped.
Resting before flipping lets the rice settle and hold together.
Lamb or beef can replace chicken; simmer the meat until tender first.
The great flip
Maqluba is a dish built for gatherings. The family waits around the table, someone turns the heavy pot onto a platter, and everyone watches as it’s lifted to reveal a tall, golden mound. In Palestinian homes it’s a Friday tradition and a dish for guests, and different families have their own favourite vegetable layer: eggplant, cauliflower, potato or carrot.
Layers that flavour the rice
The order matters. Tomato slices at the bottom stop sticking and caramelise into a sweet layer. Then come the meat and the fried vegetables, whose juices soak down into the rice above as it cooks in the chicken stock. When the pot is flipped, the vegetables end up on top.
Less frying
Traditionally the vegetables are deep-fried, which gives the richest flavour. Roasting them brushed with oil works well too and uses much less oil.
Serving
Serve with yogurt, a simple salad and pickles. For a mezze-style meal, add hummus and fattoush.
Questions people ask
What if it collapses when I flip it?
It still tastes wonderful. Next time, rest it longer, press the rice down more firmly and use a straight-sided pot.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Use vegetable stock and add more vegetables, or a layer of chickpeas.
What do I serve with it?
Plain yogurt or cucumber yogurt, and an Arabic salad of tomato, cucumber and parsley.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
