Palestine | Breads & Grains | Eggplant | Lamb | Rice

Maqluba

(Palestinian rice & eggplant casserole)

Yield: 4-6 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Olive oil 1/4 cup
Eggplant sliced in 1/4" rounds 1 each
 
Onion minced 1 each
Lamb, ground 1 lb
Allspice 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg   big pinch
Salt & pepper   to taste
     
Tomato sliced into 1/4" rounds 1 each
Water or stock well seasoned with salt 2 cups
Rice soaked 1/2 hour in water to cover 1 1/2 cups

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Sauté → Layer → Simmer → Rest → Unmold
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the eggplant slices on each side to lightly brown. Remove to a plate.
  2. Add more oil to the skillet if needed and sauté the onions till translucent. Add the ground lamb and spices and sauté, breaking up, until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and drain off excess oil.
  3. Grease a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan well with olive oil, butter, lard or shortening. Drain the rice. Lay the tomato slices to cover the bottom of the saucepan. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the rice over the tomatoes. Spoon the meat mixture over the rice. Lay the eggplant slices to cover the meat and press down well to compact all the ingredients. Add the rest of the rice and the seasoned water or stock.
  4. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer 45-50 minutes. Toward the end, check to see if more water needs to be added.
  5. Remove from heat and let rest 15 minutes. Remove lid and invert a serving platter over the saucepan. Turn upside-down and carefully slip the saucepan off the rice. Serve.

VARIATIONS

  • Use beef instead of lamb. Or use cubed meat instead of ground. Cubed chicken breast works nicely.
  • For a vegetarian version, eliminate the meat and substitute a layer of sliced potato. Or double the amount of eggplant.

NOTES

  • Maqluba (مقلوبة) is Arabic for "upside-down", which is how this popular Palestinian dish is served.
  • Despite greasing the pot with lard or oil, the rice sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pot. Try covering the bottom with a round of greased parchment paper to eliminate this problem.