Maklouba - Palestinian

Submitted by Fatima

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut in large pieces
1 head cauliflower cut in large pieces
1 large onion minced
1 large eggplant cut in medium pieces
1 cinnamon stick
8 cardamom pods
2 pinches all spice
4 coffee mugs of rice
1 tomato sliced thin 
salt and pepper to taste

 Method

1. Put the chicken in a large pot of water and boil. Be sure to clean the scum out of the water as it comes to the top. 

2. Clean and soak the rice while you prepare the eggplant and cauliflower. 

3. While the chicken is cooking, and the rice is soaking, fry the eggplant until brown and the cauliflower until golden. 

4. When the chicken is done (about 45 min or so) add the onions and spices to the water to cook for a few minutes longer. 

5. To the side, line the bottom of a large stock pot with the slices of tomato. 

6. Put the eggplant and cauliflower on top of the tomato. 

7. Drain the rice and add that on top of the eggplant and cauliflower....spread evenly.

8. Remove the chicken from the broth and put it in a baking pan. 

9. Slowly pour the broth over the rice until it is covered about 1/2 inch with broth.

10. Cover and bring to a boil. 

11. When it begins to boil, turn on medium low heat until the rice is done. 

12. While the rice is cooking, put salt and all spice on the chicken and bake on 350
    for about! 20 to 30 minutes uncovered. 

13. When the rice is done carefully flip the pot upside down on a large platter. 

14. Arrange chicken pieces on top and serve with yogurt or hot sauce and a
    traditional salad. 

You can always add more chicken to the recipe if you and your family/guests like a lot of
meat. This recipe makes a lot of rice and a fair amount of chicken. It is not spicy at
all, but it has a very nice flavor. You could probably feed 4 people WELL with this
recipe here.