By Ayah Abdel-Aziz, Photos By Meruyert Gonullu (Pexels)

Maqluba, which literally means to flip upside down in Arabic, is a popular dish made throughout the Levant. Made with a variety of fried vegetables and rice, it is cooked in a large pot and, ultimately, flipped over before being served. Its climactic reveal leaves everyone on the edge of their seat, waiting to see if the designated-flipper will fulfill their duty or leave everyone without dinner for the night. While maqluba is an exciting dish, its delectable taste leads everyone to reach for seconds. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients:

– 1 Onion: Chopped

– 1 Large Potato: Sliced into quarter-inch rounds

– 1 Tomato: Sliced into quarter-inch rounds

– 1 Cup Cauliflower: Chopped

– 2 Cups Basmati Rice

– 5 Cups Boiling Water

– 5 Cups Vegetable Oil

– Olive Oil

– Salt

– Pepper

– Seven Spice Blend

– Chicken Thighs (Optional, can substitute chickpeas)

– Plain Yogurt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Rice

Wash your rice several times until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.

2. Prepare and Cook the Vegetables 

Add your chopped vegetables onto a baking sheet. Slice your potatoes into quarter-inch rounds, and remove any excess moisture. Lay the vegetables on the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Fry vegetables until golden, and set your fried vegetables aside. Chop your onions and tomatoes. In a deep, medium-sized pot, drizzle olive oil and add the chopped onions. Over medium heat, cook the onions until caramelized.

3. Cook the Chicken

Place chicken thighs in a bowl and drizzle them with oil. Coat the chicken with the 7 spice seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix the ingredients together until well combined. You can let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow it to absorb the flavor, or cook right away. Add your chicken to the pot over the onions, and cook on one side. Flip the chicken over and cook the other side until thoroughly cooked. Remove the chicken and onions from the pot and set aside.

4. Begin Assembling the Layers of Maqluba

Using the same pot where the onions and chicken were cooked, neatly arrange the tomato slices onto the bottom of the pot. Add an even layer of potato slices on top. Layer the chopped cauliflower over the potatoes. Add your cooked chicken and onion mixture on top. Spread the drained basmati rice over the top of everything and pat down firmly. Add a large round plate on top of the rice to ensure the ingredients stay held together. Pour vegetable broth or water over the rice, ensuring that the surface of the rice is covered by an inch.

5. Cook the Maqluba

Place your pot over medium high heat and allow the water/vegetable broth to start bubbling. Once the water/vegetable brother is boiling, cover the pot with a lid and decrease the heat to low. Allow to cook for 50 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Once rice is fully cooked, allow the maqluba to rest for 10-15 minutes.

The Grand Reveal: How to Flip the Dish and Serve

When ready to serve, find a large round tray (larger than the pot used to cook the Maqluba) with raised edges and place it on top of the pot. Place hands on both sides of the pot’s handle, while holding the tray down. Quickly flip the pot over and let the pot sit upside-down for a few minutes. Finally, lift the pot from the tray slowly to reveal the dish. Serve with plain yogurt or Arabic salad on the side, and enjoy!