1 large onion, julienned

8 garlic cloves, peeled

2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced evenly

2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 sweet red bell pepper, cut into thick strips

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 kg of aubergine or 1 head of cauliflower

Remaining Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup dried chickpeas, pre-soaked, or one 15 oz can, rinsed and drained

2 cups rice, washed and rinsed (extra long grain basmati is best)

3 cups of salt

1½ C idera* spices

½ cup cinnamon

¼ cup pine nuts or almonds

2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

Preparation: (Maqluba Upside Down Lamb)

1. If using chicken, wash it in a bowl of cold water with a handful of flour, a little lemon juice or vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Rinse and drain. If using lamb, simply rinse under running water and drain.

2. Brown the chicken in a little oil. Add enough water to submerge completely, then boil and skim. If you use lamb, you don't need to brown it, just submerge it in plenty of water, bring it to a boil and remove the foam.

3. Reduce heat to medium, then add all remaining broth ingredients. Cook over low heat until tender (60 to 90 minutes). Strain, reserving the broth.

4. While the broth simmers, salt and fry or roast the aubergines as follows: Slice the aubergines evenly, then spread them out on a kitchen towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Fry them in very hot vegetable oil until golden brown or brush them with olive oil and roast them in the oven at 400°F. they are golden brown, turning midway. Remove when golden brown and slightly charred.

5. If using cauliflower, wash, separate the florets, drizzle generously with olive oil, and roast in a hot oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

6. Soak the rinsed rice in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until caramelized, adding garlic halfway through.

8. Strain the rice, then add the cooked onions and garlic; mix with salt, cinnamon and idra spices. Put aside.

9. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a large non-stick pan with olive oil. Don't skip this step or your rice will burn! Arrange the potato slices on the bottom in an overlapping circular pattern, followed by the tomato slices, red pepper, carrots, cooked chicken or lamb, roasted eggplant or cauliflower, and chickpeas, all in successive layers.

14. Garnish with fried walnuts and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with plain yogurt and a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions and parsley, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

10. Place the rice mixture in the pot over the vegetables, making sure to compact it well with your hand. Pour the reserved broth over the rice to cover, using about 1½ cups of broth for each cup of rice.

11. Bring the maqlouba to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover tightly. After 30-35 minutes, taste the rice: if it is still too hard, add a little broth, a ladle at a time, and simmer until tender, letting the steam cook .

12. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the pine nuts or almonds in the remaining olive oil and set aside.

13. Uncover the rice and place a large round tray, slightly larger than the pot, serving side down, on the pot. Sear carefully and quickly, in one continuous motion, flip the pot and pan. Be careful not to burn yourself! Hit the pot with a wooden spoon (a task normally assigned to children), then lift it gently, letting the maqlouba slide off, like a mould. It doesn't matter if it collapses! 

14. Garnish with fried walnuts and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with plain yogurt and a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions and parsley, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

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