Palestinian Maqluba

Ingredients

• 1 kilo eggplant
• 5 cups short-grain rice
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 400 grams small pieces of meat
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spices
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp oil or ghee for frying the meat
• to taste nuts
• 1/4 spoon white pepper
• 1/2 spoon black pepper
• 600 grams yogurt
• 1/2 spoon salt for the yogurt
• three small cucumbers cucumber
• 1 heaped spoon mint
• three cloves crushed garlic
• 1 cup water, 200 ml water for the yogurt

Instructions

1. In a frying pan, cut the eggplant into slices, and cut part of it into cubes as mentioned by the chef.
2. In a frying pan or over the heat, sprinkle the eggplant with salt, then place a cloth or lid over it with a weight so it releases its water.
3. In a pot over the heat, brown the eggplant cubes and set them aside, then fry the slices after draining off their water.
4. In a bowl, wash and drain the short-grain rice, then season it with salt, mixed spices, cinnamon, and turmeric, stirring until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
5. In a nonstick cooking pot, place the meat first and arrange it over the bottom.
6. In the nonstick cooking pot, put half the rice over the meat, then distribute the fried eggplant, followed by the remaining rice.
7. In the cooking pot, add 5 cups of chicken stock, as stated in the description, until it almost covers the rice according to the chef's guidance on the covering level.
8. In the cooking pot, cook the maqluba over medium heat, then over low heat, until the rice is cooked.
9. In the cooking pot, after turning off the heat, leave the maqluba covered with a cloth or towel for 20 minutes.
10. In the pot, invert the maqluba onto a serving platter in one motion, then leave it for 2 minutes before serving.
11. In a frying pan or on the serving surface, toast the nuts, then scatter them over the top as desired.
12. In another bowl, prepare the cucumber yogurt: mix the yogurt with salt, cucumber, mint, garlic, and water, then serve it alongside the maqluba.