Palestinian Maklouba Layered Dish (Printable Version)

Fragrant spiced rice, chicken, cauliflower, and vegetables cooked in layers for a flavorful Middle Eastern dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or cut-up whole chicken)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Rice

05 - 2 cups basmati rice
06 - 1 tablespoon salt
07 - Water for soaking

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
09 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 0.4 inch thick
10 - 1 large onion, sliced
11 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Spices

12 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
13 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
14 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
15 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
16 - ½ teaspoon ground allspice
17 - ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
18 - 4 bay leaves

→ Broth

19 - 5 cups chicken stock or water

→ Garnish (optional)

20 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
21 - ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Thoroughly rinse basmati rice, then soak in cold water with 1 tablespoon salt for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on all sides, about 6 minutes, then remove and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, sauté sliced onion until translucent. Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, cardamom, and bay leaves; stir for 1 minute. Return chicken to pot, pour in chicken stock or water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve broth.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan. Fry cauliflower florets and potato slices in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
05 - Line bottom of a large heavy-bottomed pot (minimum 5-quart) with fried potato slices. Layer browned chicken pieces atop potatoes, followed by fried cauliflower, then drained rice. Press gently to compact layers.
06 - Pour enough reserved broth over the rice to just cover (approximately 4 to 5 cups). Place pot over medium heat. When liquid bubbles at edges, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook undisturbed for 35 to 40 minutes.
07 - Turn off the heat and let the dish rest, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
08 - Remove lid, place large serving platter over pot, and quickly invert to unmold. Gently lift pot off. Garnish with toasted nuts and chopped parsley. Serve hot with optional yogurt or salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The flip is pure theater, and every single time it works, you feel like a kitchen magician.
  • One pot does all the work, so cleanup is shockingly easy for something this impressive.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when all the spices have had time to marry.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid during cooking or steam escapes and the rice turns out undercooked and crunchy.
  • Use a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid or the heat wont distribute evenly and youll get burnt spots on the bottom.
  • Let it rest after cooking or the flip will be a disaster and everything will slide apart on the platter.
03 -
  • Fry the vegetables in batches and dont crowd the pan or they steam instead of crisping up.
  • Taste your broth before adding it to the rice and adjust the salt, this is your last chance to fix the seasoning.
  • Use a pot thats at least 5 liters so the layers have room to breathe and cook evenly.
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