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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 (914g)

Recipe makes 4 servings

The following items or measurements are not included below:

baharat

Calories 1074
Calories from Fat 196 (18%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 21.8g 33%
Saturated Fat 6.1g 30%
Monounsaturated Fat 8.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.0g
Trans Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 138mg 46%
Sodium 1410mg 58%
Potassium 744mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 167.1g 55%
Dietary Fiber 5.8g 23%
Sugars 2.4g
Protein 46.0g 91%

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Upside Down (Maqloobeh)

Recipe #87832 | 2 hours | 30 min prep | add private note

By: baraahnz
Mar 30, 2004

This is a classic and probably one of the most famous Palestinian dishes. Everybody loves it! This is a standard in all Palestinian homes. It's also an innovative and different way to cook--a fun thing to cook when you're having guests over! Upside Down (translation of its Arabic name, Maqloobeh) is made in a variety of ways. It can be made with either chicken or lamb but my husband's family only makes it with chicken. Note: This recipe requires a large serving tray/plate, preferably round. The recipe is long but it's simple to make--especially after the first try. Enjoy!

SERVES 4 (change servings and units)

Ingredients

Directions

  1. 1
    Place rice in a bowl and leave until grains are white, about 1/2 hr (this step is not necessary).
  2. 2
    Rinse rice until water is clear and then leave to drain in colander.
  3. 3
    Dice onion and fry until golden with first amount of oil in a medium-large size saucepan.
  4. 4
    Add chicken and brown.
  5. 5
    Add 8 cups water and mix.
  6. 6
    Add 1 teaspoon of mixed savoury spices and 1 teaspoon salt.
  7. 7
    Cook for one hour.
  8. 8
    While the chicken is cooking, fry pieces of cauliflower with second measurement of oil.
  9. 9
    Fry until golden (well-cooked) but not burnt.
  10. 10
    Put aside.
  11. 11
    When chicken is ready, sieve stock into bowl and remove the chicken pieces.
  12. 12
    Coat with pinches of salt and mixed spices.
  13. 13
    Brown under grill.
  14. 14
    Get a medium sized pot.
  15. 15
    (I recommend a non-stick one. I've tried this in my stainless steel pot however the bottom and sides get too hot so the outsides turn out burnt – so if your pot has a tendency to do the same then don't use that one!) Sprinkle a fine layer of rice on the bottom to prevent the other ingredients from sticking.
  16. 16
    Place chicken pieces face down in saucepan (be careful that the rice remains below the chicken).
  17. 17
    Place cauliflower pieces into saucepan, pressing it into the holes left by the chicken.
  18. 18
    Add chickpeas in the same way.
  19. 19
    Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of spices and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
  20. 20
    Add rice and spread evenly.
  21. 21
    Carefully and slowly pour the chicken stock on top to cover rice.
  22. 22
    Cook on stove-top until rice is cooked.
  23. 23
    Quickly flip the saucepan upside down onto a large serving tray (preferably round).
  24. 24
    Rub and cool down top of pot with a wet cloth.
  25. 25
    Carefully remove the pot, trying not to let the Upside Down collapse! (Don't worry if it does, it happens even to the experts!).
  26. 26
    Traditionally all people eat from the one big tray, each person eating from strictly in front of him, but it can also be served onto plates at the table.
  27. 27
    Eat with small bowls of yoghurt.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: UmmBinat

On Apr 18, 2009

4 and a half good stars after revising. Firstly I read over the reviews and used the amount of liquid that is generally needed for cooking Basmati rice which I used. From there I put as much of each spice as I though would be to our tastes I think it was about the same amount as the recipe calls for. I did use my own Baharat Aka Middle East Mixed Spices - the Real Mix . I used olive oil in replacement of the vegetable oil. I used 2 garlic cloves chopped and fried with the onion. And I didn't have any chickpeas ready cooked so I decided to add some chopped carrots as muslimah does which I added when frying the cauliflower. I'm thinking another good addition would be fresh mushrooms sliced and fried after the onion another time. I used 2 whole cloves and 4 cardamom pods in the water while simmering like loverania uses and I also added 4 peppercorns too. Like Umm Amani suggested I didn't think the chicken needed to go under the grill so I broke it up into big chunks removing the skin, and pan fried it with 2 dashes of turmeric for colour and 1/2 cup pine nuts also as muslimah does. I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon to 1 3/4 cups rice. I then found Maqloobeh which uses some cumin so I added a couple pinches when all the rice was in the pot ready to cook. I found the instructions confusing for this but this recipe is what I used as a base although it didnt turn out with much of a crust, it was very delicious. I served it with tomato sauce on the side because of a dairy allergy. I will make this recipe again with my revisions. And next time I may include chickpeas.

0 people found this review helpful

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    From: Elmotoo

    On Nov 24, 2007

    Something didn't work out so well. Should this be made with UNcooked rice? Everything was watery & soupy. The flavors were good. I couldn't present properly because there was so much liquid in the pot & everything was overcooked & mushy. So we got out the soup bowls & enjoyed it as such, lol. Thanks for sharing! MAde for NA*ME Recipe of the Week.

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    From: Sue L

    On May 22, 2004

    This has a very nice flavor from the mild blending of spices. Cooking the cauliflower in the pan raw gave it almost a roasty type of flavor, which permeated throughout the dish. I enjoyed the crust the rice had from the bottom of the pan- it was the best part (even though the chicken was veeerrry tender and tasty!) I did go with only half the amount of rice, and also cut the cooking liquid by half. It was quite enough rice to go with the chicken and cauliflower that way. I enjoyed this a lot! Thanks for posting!

    4 people found this review helpful

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  • From: Spice girl

    On May 12, 2004

    Although it looks very lenghty procdure, I thinks its worth it I used eggplant instead of caulifower and it tasted wonderful.....have to be careful with the chicken as it tends to break down. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    4 people found this review helpful

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  • Read all 9 reviews

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