Maqlouba is a traditional Palestinian dish.
There are two main types of Maqlouba: one with cauliflower and the other with aubergine. However, the selection of additional vegetables varies from city to city. Our recipe today is Nabulsi Maqlouba.
Maqlouba is usually made with meat, but we made it vegan!
Ingredients:
1 ½ - 2 large aubergines, cut into thick circulars slices
2 potatoes, cut into thick circular slices
4 tomatoes, cut into thick circular slices (you may need fewer depending on the size of your pot)
1 can of chickpeas (I also added a quarter of another can)
1 head of garlic, peeled and halved
4 cloves
4 bay leaves
13 allspice berries
17 cardamom seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion, quartered
1 ½ cups Basmati rice
1 ½ cups Shaqha rice (Egyptian rice)
Ground Spices:
2 tbsp crushed cardamom
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp black pepper
Vegetable broth powder, to taste
1 tbsp sea salt or MSG
Instructions:
Mix the Basmati and Shaqha rice together and soak them in water for an hour. After soaking, rinse the rice 2 to 4 times.
Sprinklea pinch of salt on both sides of the aubergine slices and let them sit for 20 minutes to draw out the moisture. After 20 minutes, rinse them.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the potato slices until golden on both sides. You don’t need to cook them through, just get a golden color on each side. They will finish cooking in the pot later.
In the same way, fry the aubergine slices. It’s okay if they become nearly or fully cooked. Both the potatoes and aubergines can be prepared ahead of time.
In a large pot, heat some oil and add the bay leaves, cardamom seeds, cloves, allspice berries, and cinnamon stick. Fry on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add hot water and the quartered onion. Add your vegetable broth after.
Stir in the crushed cardamom, ground allspice, ground coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, then taste and adjust the salt. The broth should be slightly salty, as it will flavor the other ingredients later.
Once the broth has cooked and the spices have infused, strain it into a separate large bowl.
Bring a large pot, and oil (around 1 to 2 tbs). Start by layering the ingredients. First, place the halved garlic cloves, then a layer of the tomatoes, followed by a layer of the fried potatoes. Add the chickpeas, then the aubergine slices. Finally, spread the soaked and rinsed rice on top. (You might end up with vegetable leftovers depending on the size of your pot).
Place a small plate over the rice, then pour the strained broth over it. The plate helps distribute the broth evenly without disturbing the layers. Ensure the broth covers the rice and is about 2–3 cm above it.
Cover the pot with a lid. Bring the heat to high until the water and rice levels are even, then lower the heat. Let the dish cook on low heat for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the rice is fully cooked.
Once the rice is done, let it cool slightly before flipping the pot.
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