Maqluba or makloubeh is a Middle Eastern upside down chicken and rice dish that's served in various permutations across the Levant. It's often referred to as the national dish of Palestine and it's something I grew up eating. With 7-spice, cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaves, it's highly aromatic and makes a great dinner-in-one meal.
Traditionally, the vegetables are deep fried, but this is a healthier and easier version using baked vegetables. Serve with a simple chopped salad, tabouli, yogurt, or the cucumber yogurt salad from my book, Seed to Table.
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What is Maqluba?
Also spelled maqlooba, makloubeh, maaluba, magluba, or maqlouba, it's a traditional dish with written records dating back to the middle ages that's commonly served all across the Levantine region. Made with deep-fried vegetables, rice, and meat (usually chicken or lamb) it's not only delicious, but also makes for an impressive dinner.
It's layered with the vegetables, rice, and chicken, alternating the layers to get a beautiful multi-level dish when it's flipped upside down onto a serving dish. Maqluba means upside-down or overturned in Arabic, so this really is upside-down rice.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for this dish are easy to find at any grocery store. 7-spice (baharat) can be purchased at a Middle Eastern grocer or online, or you can make it yourself.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Basmati rice: while basmati is best (long grain, not short) parboiled rice works too.
- Vegetables: mix and match the vegetables to best suit your needs. Summer squash and bell peppers are great too.
- Chicken: breast meat or bone-in chicken can also be used. This can be made with lamb or beef cubes, but they require pre-boiling to tenderize. If going this route, the boiling liquid can replace the chicken stock.
- Almonds: omit altogether if preferred, or use something like cashews or toasted pine nuts.
Step by Step
There are a few steps for this recipe, with browning the chicken and baking the vegetables recipe, so it's a good idea to read through everything before beginning. Maqluba isn't complicated, but it does contain several elements.
1. Soak the rice: rinse the rice well under cold water, then cover with an inch of water and soak for at least half an hour. This can be set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Bake the vegetables: mix the vegetables with the oil and spices, then bake until lightly browned.
3. Prepare the chicken: season the chicken thighs, then fry for a few minutes each side. The meat should be lightly browned to add flavor.
4. Fry the aromatics: using the same pan as for the chicken, quickly fry the onions and garlic, then set aside.
5. Layer: drain the rice and mix with the 7-spice. Add oil to a large non-stick pot, then layer with the sliced tomatoes, rice, vegetables, rice, chicken, vegetables, rice, and so on, until several layers have formed and all of the elements are used.
6. Pack down: use your hands to pack the layers down firmly, then poke a few holes in the rice with a chopstick or wooden spoon handle.
7. Add the stock and cook: pour the chicken stock carefully over the rice, then place bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom to overtop. Some of the chicken or vegetables may float. That's ok. Cook for 30-40 minutes.
8. Rest and serve: once the rice is cooked, let the maqluba rest, covered, for another 10 minutes. Remove the spices, then confidently flip the pot over onto a plate and carefully lift the pot away. Top with almonds and parsley and serve.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make Ahead: this can't really be made ahead, but you can roast the vegetables a couple of days in advance, and keep them in a sealed container in the fridge until use.
Storage: leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in a sealed container.
Freezing: transfer fully cooled maqluba to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Use long-grain rice: short grain rice is stickier and won't have as nice of a texture. Long-grain basmati is ideal.
- Choose a heavy pot: if you have one, use a dutch oven, or another non-stick pot with a heavy lid that will seal well.
- Seal the lid: if you don't have a heavy pot, seal the lid with tin foil if needed.
- Make it vegan: for a good vegetarian or vegan option, use more vegetables in place of the chicken, and substitute vegetable broth for the stock.
- Poke those holes: if you don't poke a few holes in the rice before adding the stock, it won't penetrate through all the layers and you'll get an uneven cook.
FAQ
It's generally thought that the dish originated in Palestine and Jordan, but has been an important part of Levantine cuisine for centuries and is made across the Middle East.
Rice, vegetables (usually eggplant, tomato, and others) and meat, typically lamb, beef, or chicken. Spices are an important part of the dish.
A recipe for it is found in a 13th century recipe collection, so it is likely older than that.
More Levantine Recipes
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Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice and Chicken)
Equipment
- Large pot with tight lid Preferably non-stick
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups Cauliflower florets - About half a cauliflower
- 1 Eggplant - sliced into ½" (1cm) rings
- 2 Potatoes - sliced into ½" (1cm) rings
- 5 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil - Divided
- Fresh cracked black pepper½
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken thighs - Skinless, boneless
- 1 Onion - Diced
- 4 Garlic cloves - Minced
- 2 Tomatoes - sliced into ½" (1cm) rings
- 4 cups Chicken broth - Might need more, see note
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 4-6 Cardamom pods
- Chopped parsley and roasted almonds for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the rice. Rinse the rice under cold water in a sieve until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a bowl, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water (cover with at least an inch of water). Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 hours.
- Bake the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 400F. On a rimmed baking sheet, place cauliflower florets, eggplant slices and potato slices. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon 7-spice, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The vegetables don't have to be cooked all the way through but should have some browning.
- Prepare the chicken. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon 7-Spice. In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the chicken on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, on each side. You're looking for some color to form on the chicken. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate.
- Fry aromatics. To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if needed) and fry the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt on medium heat, for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
- Layer. Drain the rice and mix in 1 teaspoon of 7-spice. To a large non-stick pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Begin layering with sliced tomatoes, followed by a handful of seasoned rice and then a single layer of vegetables (onions, garlic, potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant). Scatter a handful or two of rice. Layer the chicken thighs, more vegetables and more rice, alternating as you layer. It doesn't have to be perfect, but make sure you finish with a nice layer of rice.
- Pack down. Pack everything down lightly with your hands and using a chopstick of a wooden spoon handle, poke 4 or 5 holes into the rice so that the liquid can penetrate.
- Add the liquid and cook. Carefully add 4 cups chicken stock to the pot. The liquid should just cover the rice. Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods and an additional teaspoon of salt. Some of the chicken or vegetables may float. That's ok. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook for 30-40 minutes. If your pot lid doesn't hold steam in, you can use a sheet of aluminum foil to help seal the lid.
- Rest and serve. Take a peek under the lid. The rice should be cooked. return the lid and let the maqluba rest for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and pull out the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. They should be at the top. Place a large inverted rimmed platter over the pot. Confidently flip the pot and plate over. Do this as quickly and safely as you can, like you're flipping a cake. Carefully pull the pot up revealing the maqluba. It might not be pretty, but it will be delicious. Garnish with fresh parsley and toasted almonds. Serve with salad and yogurt.
Notes
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Basmati rice: while basmati is best (long grain, not short) parboiled rice works too.
- Vegetables: mix and match the vegetables to best suit your needs. Summer squash and bell peppers are great too.
- Chicken: breast meat or bone-in chicken can also be used. This can be made with lamb or beef cubes, but they require pre-boiling to tenderize. If going this route, the boiling liquid can replace the chicken stock.
- Almonds: omit altogether if preferred, or use something like cashews or toasted pine nuts.
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