Maqluba-Middle Eastern Dish

You probably aren't familiar with this dish. Here is what google says about it: "It consists of meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot which is flipped upside down when served, hence the name maqluba, which translates literally as "upside-down.". Though, this dish does not contain any meat because I am a vegetarian. If you want to add meat you can. It is easy and won't take much time at all! Let's get cooking!! :)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of rice (Soaked for at least 1 hour in boiling water)

1 large sliced eggplant

1 large slice tomato

1 sliced pepper

1 large sliced onion

2 large sliced potatoes

1/2 TBSP Black Pepper (depends on how spicy you want it)

1 TBSP Salt

1 TBSP turmeric

3 TBSP Olive Oil

Put a little olive oil on a pan and then add your vegetables by group until they have become a little brown. Make sure they have been fried from both sides very well. Also, make sure they have not been burned from either side. (Note: For the onions add them first and when they have a golden tint to them add the peppers. Do not fry them separately) When you are done put them to a side.

Now get a new pot (try getting one that is high from the sides so the dish cooks and looks like it is supposed to) and start transferring the potatoes first put them on the bottom directly trying to cover the whole bottom any extra potatoes who do not cover the bottom do not use. Then when you are done with that step put the onions and pepper so they cover the potatoes all the way. Then finally add the tomatoes following the same procedure. (Refer to the pictures above for assistance) After every layer put a small pinch of salt and black pepper if you want. Put on almost high level on the oven for this procedure.

Using just half of the soaked rice cover up the tomatoes. This will serve as one of the layers in the dish. Think of it like a cake. The vegetables will be like the buttercream and the rice is the actual cake. With every bite you will get some vegetable and some rice. YUM!

You didn't think I would forget about the eggplants did you? Well, what you have to do with the eggplants is add them right over the layer of rice you just added. Making it so the rice is barely visible. The eggplants are my favorite vegetables being put into this dish!!

You guessed right if you though we were going to put more rice on top of the eggplants! That's exactly what we are going to do! Add all the remaining rice right on top of the eggplants. We are almost done but not quite yet.

Make sure not to forget about the spices!! They are the most important part probably! What I recommend doing with the spices is putting the spices in hot water (about 1.75 cups of hot water) then add it to the rice. This will make sure that the spices get everywhere in the dish. Keep the oven level on high.

This may look weird to you but this is a crucial step! Put it on it and then cover it with the lid.

When the water dries out turn the level of the oven to low and then take the plate off then take another plate that will fit in the pot exactly then cover with a lid. After the water dries out put on for at least another 15-20minutes on low.

This part is kind of hard. So get someone very strong!! Flip it very slowly. Refer to the video that I have attached for how to flip it correctly.

This dish is a personal favorite of mine!! I love it!! I suggest easting it with plain yogurt. Just look at the layers they are so organized and good looking!!

Before you leave I have a joke about cooking:

Why did the student eat his homework?

The teacher said it was a piece of cake!

And this this dish is as good as a piece of cake I promise you! Share this dish and spread the joy!!