maqluba

Maqluba is a layered rice dish eaten in Palestinian and Jordanian households. After cooking, the pot is turned over onto a platter, giving the dish its name, meaning upside down. Heifa’s family preparation uses lamb with aubergine, cauliflower and optional potatoes; her published adaptation bakes vegetables that her family used to fry.^[1]

Bone-in lamb shoulder cooks with onion, cardamom, bay leaves and allspice, and its broth is saved for the rice. Basmati rice is seasoned with seven-spice, cumin and turmeric. A small rice layer, tomato slices, baked vegetables, lamb and the remaining rice are arranged in the pot and cooked with the broth. Toasted almonds and parsley garnish the turned-out dish, which is served with yogurt and Arabic salad.^[1]