Maqloubeh: an upside-down chicken and rice dish

Method

Step 1

In a large pot, simmer the chicken legs in water over medium heat with the quartered onion, cardamom, bay leaves, rosemary and a large pinch of salt until cooked, about 30 minutes. Spoon out the chicken and reserve about 1 ½ litres of broth; discard the onion and herbs.

Step 2

In a pot of boiling water, parboil the cauliflower florets until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Step 3

In a large frying pan, add 4 tbsp of sunflower oil. Fry the potato slices over medium heat till golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve the frying oil.

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the aubergine slices with salt and leave for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture. Rinse and pat dry. Reheat the reserved oil and fry the aubergine over medium to high heat for 10 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a large plate.

Step 5

Add the cauliflower florets to the oil and fry for 20 minutes until brown. Transfer to the plate.

Step 6

Wipe out the pan and add a bit of olive oil. Add the almonds and toast until golden and fragrant; transfer to a plate. Add the sliced onion and cook until golden. Set aside.

Step 7

Lightly salt the chicken pieces and place them in a deep pan over a handful of the rinsed rices; scatter with the fried onion and half the mixed spice. Now layer successively the aubergines, cauliflower and potatoes, each time interspersed with a handful of the soaked rice.

Step 8

Finish with a layer of rice, season with the rest of the mixed spice and pepper, then pour over the reserved broth to about 3cm over the top. Cover with a lid, then simmer over medium-high heat for 30 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat to low halfway through.

Step 9

When the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed, remove from the hob and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully place a large plate over the open pan and invert the maqloubeh onto the plate. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted almonds and serve.

Note

The rice must be thoroughly rinsed until the water is clear before cooking. Doha likes mixing the two types of rice, though other maqloubeh cooks don’t.

BBC.com’s World’s Table “smashes the kitchen ceiling” by changing the way the world thinks about food, through the past, present and future.

— 

Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called “The Essential List”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.