Maqlooba

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Preparation time  :  40 minutes
Cooking time       :  1 hour
Serves                 :  4 members

Description:

An Arabic style one pot rice dish made with chicken, vegetables and rice together. Maqlooba in Arabic means un side up. This dish is called so as it’s presented up side down before serving. There are many variations of this very same dish. I have shared the Saudi Arabia style being loyal my bahu dear who calls the nation home. This rice preparation was made by bahu dear where I was lucky to relish this awesome guilty culprit.

Ingredients for rice

Ingredients
Quantity
Oil2 tablespoons
OnionOne chopped
Capsicum1 chopped

Garlic4 crushed
Saltto taste
Chicken1/2 kg with skin
Pepper1/4 teaspoon
Saudi spice mix2 tablespoons ( recipe in the end of this recipe)
Dried black lemon 1
Spring onion 1/2 cup chopped
Water4 cups
Basmathi rice2 cups

Ingredients for vegetables

Ingredients
Quantity
Brinjal1 big cubed ( if using small use 8 )
Potatoes3 cubed
Cauliflower flower let’s1 cup
Tomato2 sliced thickly
Green capsicum1 cubed
Red capsicum1 cubed
Onions2 sliced thickly
Oilto shallow fry
Saltto taste

Ingredients for tomato paste

Ingredients
Quantity
Tomatoes4 ground
Oil1 tablespoon
Saudi spice mix1 teaspoon
Saltto taste

Other ingredients

Ingrediants
Quantity
Turmeric powder1/4 teaspoon

Method

  • Heat oil in a large pan. Add chopped onion, chopped capsicum and crushed garlic with salt to taste. Sauté to brown. Add chicken with skin and brown well. Top with crushed pepper powder, saudi spice powder, dried lemon and spring onions chopped. Sauté well. Add water and cook to done.
  • Shallow fry cubed brinjal, red capsicum, green capsicum, potato, tomato rounds, onions rings and cauliflower flower let’s to golden brown and keep aside. Sprinkle salt over the fried vegetables.
  • Remove cooked chicken and add washed basmati rice – 3 cups. Cook to 1/2 done.
  • Grind 3 tomatoes. Heat one tablespoon of oil and sauté the ground tomatoes, salt, Saudi spice mix – 1/2 teaspoon and salt to taste. Sauté until it gets to a thick paste consistency.
  • Divide half cooked rice into two portions. To one portion add tomato paste and mix well. To the other 1/2 add turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon and mix well.
  • Take a deep non stick vessel. Lay the bottom with fried vegetables. Then top it with chicken pieces and press well. Add the tomato mixed rice and press well. Top with turmeric powder mixed rice and press well. Add one cup of remaining chicken stock. Cook over low heat covered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and after 10 minutes. Turn the rice vessel over to a large plate and serve hot.

Arabic spice mix

Ingredients
Quantity
Black pepper1 teaspoon
cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
fennel seeds 1 teaspoon
cardamon4
cloves4
cinnamon1 big stick
coriander seeds2 tablespoons
nutmeg 1 small piece
paprikaI used 4 dry red chilies
dried limeI used a 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest

Dry roast and powder together.