Can we get a round of applause for Maqloubeh ~ مقلوبة زهرة? I promise your taste buds will have a party by the end of this recipe. It’s a staple of Palestinian cuisine 🇵🇸, comes in so many variations, and literally translates to “upside-down.” It is loved and enjoyed by so many in the Levant, made at least once a week in every household. I think the simplicity of this dish is what makes it a crowd pleaser, consisting of meat, rice and vegetables enjoyed with a side of salad or yogurt. As my mom says, when you’re busy, just make Maqloubeh.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of lamb (I use shoulder and neck)
- 2 small cauliflower heads, cut into florets and blanched
- 2 potatoes, cut length wise in 1/2 inch thickness
- 2 medium onions sliced + 1/2 onion quartered
- 1 1/2 cup basmati rice, rinsed soaked for 2 hrs and drained
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Seven spices
- 3/4 tbs black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- 1- in a 8 quart pot rinse the lamb under cold water, drain, fill with water and place over high heat. As it boils, skim all the white foam that forms.
- 2- add the quartered 1/2 onion, black pepper, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 bay leaves and 4 cardamom pods. Cover and let cook on low for 90 minutes or until meat is tender.
- 3- fry the cauliflower and 2 potatoes in vegetable oil until golden and let drain on a paper towel.
- 4- sauté the sliced onion in 1 tbs of oil until almost caramelized.
- 5- after the lamb is cooked add salt to the broth and give it a taste. it needs to be salty as this broth will be used for cooking the rice. Strain your broth and set aside.
- 6- in the same pot you cooked the meat, start assembling layer in order of the sautéed onions, lamb, and vegetables. Sprinkle with extra spices: black pepper, ground cinnamon, seven spices, ground cardamom and salt for good luck. Finally add the rice last.
- 7- add the reserved lamb broth gradually with a ladle to the pot covering all the layers (you might need extra fresh water) the liquid should be as high as the first knob on your finger. Cover and cook on high until it boils, then turn the heat to low. Let cook until all the liquid is absorbed and turn off the heat.
- Rest-comments below👇.