Maqluba

Ingredients

• 1.2kg bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 500g basmati rice
• 2 large aubergines (about 700g)
• 1 small cauliflower (about 600g)
• 1 large onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp seven spice (baharat)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 400ml vegetable oil for frying
• 50g toasted almonds and pine nuts
• 300g plain yoghurt, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in warm salted water for thirty minutes.
• Slice the aubergines lengthways into one centimetre slabs, salt them and leave them in a colander for twenty minutes.
• Break the cauliflower into large florets.
• Quarter the onion.

Steps

1. Put the chicken in a large pot with the onion, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves, one teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and skim off the foam.
3. Simmer the chicken for thirty minutes, then lift the pieces onto a plate and strain the broth into a jug.
4. Pat the aubergine slices completely dry with kitchen paper.
5. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until a piece of aubergine sizzles briskly on contact.
6. Fry the aubergine slices in batches for three minutes a side until deep golden, then drain them on kitchen paper.
7. Fry the cauliflower florets in the same oil for about six minutes until browned at the edges, then drain them.
8. Drain the soaked rice and toss it with the seven spice, turmeric, ground cinnamon, remaining salt and the pepper.
9. Take a heavy pot with straight sides and brush the base with oil.
10. Lay the chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer across the bottom.
11. Cover the chicken with a layer of fried aubergine, letting the slices climb a little way up the sides of the pot.
12. Add a layer of cauliflower florets on top.
13. Spread the seasoned rice evenly over the vegetables and press it down gently with your palm.
14. Pour in enough hot broth to sit one and a half centimetres above the rice, no more, or the maqluba will collapse when flipped.
15. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, uncovered, until the liquid drops to the level of the rice.
16. Cover the pot tightly, drop the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for thirty-five minutes.
17. Turn off the heat and let the pot stand, still covered, for fifteen minutes.
18. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pot to loosen the rice.
19. Set a large platter over the pot, hold both firmly, and invert them in one confident movement.
20. Leave the pot sitting over the maqluba for two minutes, then lift it away slowly.
21. Scatter over the toasted nuts and serve with yoghurt.