Makluba (Upside Down Dish) is a traditional Palestinian recipe for a classic layered dish of mutton with rice and vegetables which is inverted onto a plate before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Palestinian version of: Upside Down Dish (Makluba)
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a classic Palestinian dish (also spelled Maqluba) of mutton with rice and vegetables which is cooked in a dish so that it's almost dry and is then inverted onto a serving plate (hence the name). Spaniards often term the dish 'Arabic Paella' and there are several similarities in the cooking methods.
Originally it was very much a peasant dish, made from mutton off-cuts and spare vegetables. Today, however, it is served to guests to show them honour and is often made on Fridays.
Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
500g shoulder of mutton, flesh cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium aubergines (eggplants), peeled and sliced
2 large tomatoes
1 medium cauliflower
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
220g basmati rice, washed ground cumin
oil for frying
Method:
Add a little oil to a pan and use to fry the onion and mutton for about 4 minutes then add about 600ml water, bring to a simmer and cook for a further 20 minutes.
In the meantime, peel and slice the aubergines then sprinkle with salt and set aside until the liquid inside them is drawn to the surface. Drain with kitchen paper then heat oil in a pan and use to fry the aubergine slices until golden.
Divide the cauliflower into florets, bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil then add a little cumin and use to cook the cauliflower for about 5 minutes.
When the mutton is tender take the pan off the heat. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Take some of the fat from the surface of the broth and add to a pan and combine with about 3 tbsp oil. Cover the base with thick slices of onion then add thick slices of tomato before topping with the fried aubergine slices.
Place half the washed and drained rice on top followed by the meat, then the cauliflower then the remaining rice and a final layer of sliced and fried aubergine. Pour the mutton broth over the top so that the volume of liquid just reaches the top layer of aubergine (if you do not have enough broth add water). Cove the pan with a lid or a sheet of foil, bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.
Remove the foil at this point and continue cooking until the mixture is almost dry. Take off the heat and carefully invert onto a serving plate (with luck it should come out whole). Serve garnished with toasted pine nuts and accompanied with minted yoghurt.
)
Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.