Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2024)

Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (1)

Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2)

Serves 6 to 8

Maqluba, in Arabic, means upside-down. This layered rice and vegetable dish is a showstopper! It is traditionally served in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria. Don't be intimidated by the number of steps—it's actually pretty easy and well worth the effort. Find fried onions for the garnish in the grocery aisle; they add bothcrunchandflavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed (1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 large eggplant, cubed (2 cups)
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Seeds from 5 cardamom pods
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 pound ground lamb or beef (omit for a vegetarian version)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 -4 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
  • 3 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth, room temperature (plus up to 1 cup more, if needed, as rice cooks)
  • OPTIONAL:
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves or cilantro
  • 1/4 cup crispy fried onions

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place cubed potato on lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Add eggplant, drizzle with another 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return to oven 10 minutes or until vegetables are browned.
  3. While vegetables roast, rinse rice in a strainer. Place rice in a bowl, cover with warm water, and soak 20 minutes. (While rice soaks, proceed to step 4.) After 20 minutes, drain rice and season with 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons salt.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 - 2 tablespoons oil. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining spices. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add ground meat and tomato paste. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Set aside.
  5. Line bottom of a 3 to 4-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid with a circle of parchment paper. Brush 2 tablespoons olive oil over parchment. Arrange slices of tomato over parchment in 2 layers.
  6. Top tomatoes with roasted potatoes and eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over vegetables and press down with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a large spoon.
  7. Cover with drained rice. Carefully pour 3 cups room-temperature broth over rice, so as not to disrupt the grains. Do not stir.
  8. Bring contents of pot to a gentle boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer. Cover pot with a sheet of foil. Then place lid over the foil on the pot. Crimp extra foil around the rim where the lid meets the pan to seal in the steam. Simmer gently 15 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and lid. Carefully fluff just the top layer of rice, stirring center grains to the outside for even cooking. Re-cover with foil and lid and cook another 25 minutes. Check doneness of rice. If it's not yet cooked through, fluff again and add a little more broth. Simmer gently 5 to 10 minutes longer or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside 10 to 20 minutes before inverting.
  10. Place a large, rimmed platter over the top of the pan. Protect your hands with oven mitts. In one swift motion, hold the platter in place and carefully invert the maqluba onto the platter. Carefully remove the pan. Garnish with pine nuts, parsley, and fried onions. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
  11. Cook's Tip:
  12. If your maqluba falls apart as you invert it, don't worry. Garnish and enjoy ? it will taste just as good! You can also present it in a beautiful bowl for an elegant presentation.

Nutrition:

Amount Per Serving (based on 8 servings)

Calories: 450

Fat: 21 g

Saturated Fat: 7 g

Trans Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 40 mg

Sodium: 440 mg

Carbohydrates: 51 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 4 g

Added Sugars: 0 g

Protein: 256 g

We provide nutritional information for our delicious recipes to help you select foods that meet your health and lifestyle goals. Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of recipes and information. Nutritional data is intended for educational purposes, and not for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure of any medical condition. Please consult your healthcare provider for specific advice on diet and health. Click here to learn how we analyze the nutritional value of our recipes.

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Maqluba (Upside-Down Layered Rice) Recipe | Metropolitan Market (2024)

FAQs

What is the upside down meal plan? ›

Known as the 'upside-down diet' or reverse dieting, it follows only one simple rule: eat your biggest meal for breakfast, followed by a medium-sized meal at lunch and your smallest meal for dinner. Too easy!

What country is Maqluba from? ›

Maqluba
Alternative namesMaaluba, maqlouba, maqlooba, maqloubeh, makluba, maklouba, makloubeh, magluba, maglouba
CourseMeal
Place of originJordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq
Region or stateLevant
Associated cuisineLevantine (Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian), Iraqi
4 more rows

How to flip maqlooba? ›

Flipping Maqluba can be tricky. Let it cool for about 15 minutes after cooking. Place a large plate over the pot, the plate should cover the entire pot with some overhang around all sides, then quickly and confidently flip it over. Hesitation is what usually cause the most issues so you just got to go for it.

Which country has Maqluba as a national dish? ›

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.

What is the upside down concept? ›

"The Upside Down" was the main name used to describe a mysterious alternate dimension existing in parallel to the human world. The dimension was somehow "created" on November 6, 1983.

What allows us to eat upside down? ›

You Can Eat Upside Down.

Food doesn't need gravity to reach your stomach. When you eat something, the muscles in your esophagus constrict and relax in a wavelike manner, which is called peristalsis and pushes food along the esophagus and into the stomach. It's difficult to eat upside down, but it's possible.

Is maqluba the same as biryani? ›

Maqlooba is a kind of biryani popular in middle eastern countries. Maqlooba is made of rice ,chicken and vegetables. So it is a healthy version of biriyani that is made of very few spices.

What is the national dish of Lebanon? ›

The national dish of Lebanon is kibbeh, an emulsified paste of fresh lamb and bulgur wheat with spices. Meat tends to be made into nuggets and charcoaled or stuffed into vegetables. Vegetables are usually the main feature of the meal.

What is the national dish of India? ›

Most countries designate a particular dish as their 'national dish. ' Often, this dish brings together the culture's values and self-image. However, in some countries, this seemingly easy task is quite complicated. While there is no said 'national dish' for India, Khichdi is often suggested.

What is upside down dinner in Arabic? ›

It is inspired by the Arabic dish called 'Maqluba,' which translates to 'upside down. ' When the meal has finished cooking, you take the pot and flip it upside down onto a large serving platter, and everybody helps themselves.

How many calories are in Maqluba? ›

Other sizes: 1 serving - 434kcal, 100 g - 145kcal, more...

What is upside down dinner? ›

Upside Down Skillet Dinner is my new favorite thing. To make it, you simply bake — in a skillet — some vegetables and meat beneath a layer of cornbread batter. Then you invert the works, all in one shimmering piece, onto a plate or platter. The finished product resembles a savory Tarte Tatin.

What kind of rice do Muslims eat? ›

The dish consists of rice, usually basmati, vegetables, meat or chicken & spices. A traditional dish - the rice is cooked with breadfruit and coconut milk.

Who invented Maqluba? ›

Well, there are many stories about the origin of maqluba. One particular story says that it was invented by a Syrian cook who was trying to impress a visiting dignitary. Another suggests that it was created during the time of the Crusades by Arab cooks who were trying to come up with a new way to use leftover rice!

What does Maqluba mean in Arabic? ›

A Palestinian tradition, maqluba means “upside down” in Arabic and is a pot of stewed meat, rice and fried vegetables, cooked and flipped onto a serving dish to form an impressive tower.

What is the reverse meal plan? ›

Reverse meal planning is meal planning that starts with what you have on hand as opposed to with recipe ideas.

Can you swallow food when you are upside down how? ›

Yes it will go through your alimentary canal. The reason is due to the process of peristalsis, the muscular contractions that move food through the canal. Just take a look at astronauts, they are able to have perfectly normal movements in outer space (zero gravity)

What is in the upside down? ›

The Upside Down is an alternate dimension that mirrors our world — or at least our world if it was a toxic hellscape overrun with creepy, moving vines, filled with murderous creatures linked together in a hive mind system, and is constantly experiencing electrical storms.

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