Maklouba

Prep Time

50 Minutes

Cook Time

2 Hours

Ready Time

3 Hours

Serves

6

Method

1. First peel the aubergines, chop off the ends, cut them in half width ways, then cut them into thick slices length ways (about an inch wide). But the aubergine in a colander with a bowl underneath (to catch the water) and cover them in salt. Leave them for at least 2 hours, recover them in salt to remove as much water as possible.
2. Make the stock by adding your chopped up lamb shoulder, the stock ingredients and submerge in water (2-3 litres). Leave to boil for around an hour and a half.
3. Dab the aubergine as dry as you can get it, then proceed to fry the aubergine until it is cooked, and nicely coloured on both sides. Place the slices on paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
4. Slice up and fry the two onions, and fry them for around 15-20 minutes until they are very well cooked, dark brown and almost burned. Set aside.
5. Next you are ready to start assembling the Maklouba dish. Take a large, deep saucepan and add a layer of the washed, but uncooked rice, then some of the aubergine, some meat, some onions, then salt, pepper and a good sprinkling of the 7 spice. You need to repeat this process, starting with a layer of rice, until you have used all of your measured out ingredients.
6. Finally, take the stock and remove any of the spices that were used to flavour it. Gently pour the stock in to the Maklouba pan, and when the ingredients are fully submerged, and the stock is a couple of inches above the top level of the food you can put the pan on the heat to boil. Place a bowl over the top of the food into the stock, pressing down the top layer of solid food so that it doesn’t move too much when cooking. Reduce the heat to a simmer when the stock is boiling.
7. Taste the rice after 15 minutes to make sure that it is cooked. If it is, leave the dish to rest off the heat for 10-15 minutes, and then you can serve the Maklouba. You can do this on the dining room table if you wish, as the dish is a show piece. Place a large plate over the top of the pan, spin it upside down and remove the pan. Your Maklouba should be sitting in a single, cake-like piece on the plate, its bottom layer of rice when cooking is the top of the “cake”. You may also choose to decorate your Maklouba with toasted pine nuts.

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