Maqluba - Upside Down

Maqluba literally translates to upside down, and no, not the upside down from Stranger Things, the upside down from Mama's Kitchen.

This topsy-turvy dish contains layers of FRIED vegetables that are then cooked in layers buffered with rice and spices. The final step is to flip the entire pot onto a large tray, revealing all its layers and glory, but mostly to give you a chance to grab every ounce of fried, spiced yummies.

The layers include fried, thinly sliced eggplant, potato discs, and the star of the dish, cauliflower. I always stole the cauliflower when my mother would make this for us, and I still do. In face, I almost didn't have enough cauliflower for this dish because I couldn't resist snacking on it the entire time!

I used Basmati rice in this version instead of other rices because it is much lighter on the stomach, and you never have only one serving of Maqluba!

I typically like to serve it with Cucumber Yogurt Salad, or Salata Arabiya.

Updated 2/22/20

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups of Basmati Rice, washed and set aside.
• 1 Large Eggplant
• 2-3 Large Tomatoes
• 1 Head of Cauliflower
• 3 Russet Potatoes
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• Oil for frying. I used Grapeseed Oil, but you can also use Vegetable or Sunflower oil.
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 7 Spices - You can buy this mix of spices at any Middle Eastern Store. It is a staple of all Arab pantries! I've also made this with just Cumin and Cinnamon before and it was still very yummy. However, if you don't have access to 7 Spices, here is the mix of spices:
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Ground Cloves
• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Cardamom
• Fenugreek

Process:

1. Slice Eggplant into long, 1/2 inch slices. Salt each side and set on tray with paper towels. This process removes it's bitter moisture.
2. Slice the potatoes into 1 inch discs.
3. Chop your Cauliflower into florets.
4. In a frying pan, add about 1 inch of frying oil and put on medium heat. Once it begins to sizzle at the touch of a potato, carefully begin frying your potato discs until golden brown. Set aside, and lightly salt.
5. This is when I would rinse the salt from the Eggplant slices and pat them dry. You must pat them dry before you fry them.
6. Now, you can begin to fry your cauliflower until just golden.  Set aside and lightly salt as well.
7. Fry your eggplant, but do not salt. Be careful not to burn, they fry very quickly.
8. Slice your tomatoes into 1/2 inch discs
9. It's time for layers! Each layer should be spread as evenly as you can. I use a standard 6 quart pot. Layers:
1. Add your tomatoes to the bottom of the pot, covering as much of the surface as possible. Drizzle with 2 tbs of olive oil.
2. Add your layer of fried Eggplants.
3. Add 1 cup of your washed Basmati Rice. You want to spread it around evenly, like you would frosting on a cake. Spice rice with 1tbs of 7-spices, salt and pepper. I like to make mine very peppery, so I add about a tbs of black pepper each layer.
4. Add Cauliflower, followed by another 1 cup of rice, evenly spread atop the cauliflower.
5. Once again, cover with 1tbs of 7-Spices, salt and black pepper.
6. Almost there! Add your potato discs. This will be part of the bottom foundation. Cover the potatoes with your final cup of rice and spices.
7. Nestle your two cinnamon sticks in the middle of the pot
10. Pour 6 cups of water to cover. Place on medium heat uncovered, until it boils. Once it boils, lower the heat and uncover. Cook on low for 30 minutes.
11. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then you can flip!