Upside Down Chicken Rice Recipes

MAHA SARSOUR'S MAQLUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.
• To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don't season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)
• Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.
• Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.
• Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
• Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

CHICKEN MAQLUBA - UPSIDE DOWN RICE

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken: Use fresh Chicken. Keep the skin on. Cut the pieces into medium-large pieces. Pat dry and add to a bowl.
• Add the ingredients 'to marinate Chicken' and rub well into the pieces. Salt is not added now.
• Set aside the chicken to marinate for 1 hour.
• Wash and Soak Rice: Meanwhile, rinse the rice thoroughly till the water runs clear, and then soak the rice for up to 30 minutes. (Read the package instructions as different rice varieties require less or no soaking time). However I found for a 'one-take' and 'fixed liquid' type of cooking like Maqluba, the soaking ensures that the rice will be cooked nicer and not sticky. Keep the rice drained in a colander, after soaking time.
• Prepare Spice-mix: Mix together all ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl and set this aside.
• Chop/Slice Vegetables: Chop the onion. Slice the garlic, potato and cauliflower, and carrot. The potato and cauliflower must be fairly thick slices/chunks. Keep one side of the cauliflower chunks flat, so that they are easier to pan-fry later.
• Par-Fry/Sear the Marinated Chicken: Heat 1/4 cup oil in a flat- non-stick pan large enough to fit the chicken pieces. We don't want to cook them fully, just sear the skin and give it a golden brown color on all sides. This takes 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the size of the pieces.
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Strain the oil used for frying and add to a stockpot.
• Preparing the Broth: Heat the same oil used for frying the chicken in the stockpot. Add the chopped onion and saute till softened nicely and just starting to change color.
• Return the fried chicken and toss with the onions to coat the chicken and absorb some flavor. Toss just a brief while. Add salt(1tsp) and mix through. Remember we have not added any salt to the chicken while marinating.
• Add hot water(8cups) and the bay leaves and bring to a simmer. As the water begins to simmer, remove the scum that floats to the top of the broth. Once the broth boils strongly it will just boil 'into' the stock and can not be removed. If the scum is not removed it can cause an unpleasant layer of impurity over the cooked rice.
• As soon as the water boils, add (1Tbsp) of the prepared spice mix. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low - bring to a light simmer. Simmer like this, covered, for 20 minutes. Continue at step 15.
• Frying of Vegetables: Heat a generous amount of oil in the same pan used earlier for chicken( washed clean). First, fry the garlic sliced till light golden and quickly strain them out of the oil Don't allow them to turn dark, or they will go bitter.
• To the flavored oil, add the. cauliflower first and fry each side till golden. remove the fried cauliflower to kitchen paper towels, to absorb the excess oil. Repeat this process with the Potatoes. No need to fry the carrots.
• After simmering for 20 minutes, remove the broth from heat. Remove the chicken pieces gently. Sprinkle a dash of salt lightly, over the chicken pieces and set them aside.
• Strain the hot broth to remove the onions. We may discard this. Measure the resulting broth and set it aside.
• Assemble the Maqluba: Although usually 1 large pot is used to prepare the Maqluba, I prefer to divide the ingredients into two smaller, similar-sized pots. This makes it easier to flip over later. Divide all the ingredients into the two pots in the following order. Or add it all to one pot, if you prefer that.
• You can very lightly grease the bottom of the pot. First, add a layer of Chicken. Adding the chicken on the bottom helps to get the skin crisp, and you get a sort of 'baked effect' which tastes so good.
• Fill in the gaps with the carrot slices. Next, add a layer of fried cauliflower chunks and then a layer of potato slices.
• Next, Divide the rice equally into both pots. Do not stir the layers. So you have three layers now, of chicken, vegetables, and rice.
• Now sprinkle over (1 3/4 tsp salt)/per pot over the rice and( 1/2 tsp) prepared spice mix/per pot. (Again- no mixing please). Also, divide and scatter the fried garlic slices over the top.
• Slowly pour the strained broth over the rice, just enough to cover the rice by about a centimeter.
• Cook the Maqluba on Low heat: Place a small flat steel plate over the top to help keep the layers from moving around.
• Cover the pots, and place on the lowest heat. After 10-15 minutes ( since we are using smaller pots), the water should be absorbed. The water should never boil, or the layers will be disrupted.
• After 10 minutes, I listen to the pot to make sure there is no crackling noise. In any case, do not cook too long, or you will burn the bottom layer.
• Remove the steel plate from the top and check on the side of the rice with a long chopstick, to make sure there is no liquid left.
• Now return the lid and just rest the cooked maqluba for a further 10 minutes. This will help the rice to plump up in the residual steam and also develop flavor.
• Open and allow any excess steam to escape.
• Makloubeh the Maqluba! Or flip it upside down: Place the serving platter over the open pot and grab hold to the handles as well as the side of the platter - together firmly to Flip it over. Wait at least 5 minutes before gently lifting the pot to reveal the lovely tower, that is Maqluba! Garnishing is not necessary, although you might like some toasted pine nuts. Serve with Yoghurt-Cucumber Salad. I like to add some garlic powder and cumin to my yogurt salad.
• Sahtain!

MAALOUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN RICE)

Steps:

• For the chicken: Heat the oil with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cardamom and 1 teaspoon pepper over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery; stir to combine. Add the chicken pieces, including the backbone, skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden brown. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and add 7 cups water to just cover the chicken. Stir in the turmeric and allspice. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a platter and strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the vegetables, spices and backbone and set the stock aside.
• For the rice: Meanwhile, add the basmati and short-grain rice to a large bowl and cover with water. Stir in the turmeric and soak for 30 minutes. Strain the rice and discard the water.
• In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot with a lid, layer the chicken pieces skin-side down, followed by a layer of fried potato slices, a layer of fried eggplant slices and a layer of cauliflower. Add the rice, letting it fall in between the vegetables and chicken. Add the 7 cups of stock until the rice is just covered.
• Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Continue to cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has been completely absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest with the lid on for 30 minutes.
• For the salad: Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
• Place a large serving platter or plate over the pot and carefully flip to unmold. Garnish the maalouba with toasted pine nuts, parsley leaves and the red chile . Serve the maalouba with the side salad.

UPSIDE DOWN (MAQLOOBEH)

Steps:

• Place rice in a bowl and leave until grains are white, about 1/2 hr (this step is not necessary).
• Rinse rice until water is clear and then leave to drain in colander.
• Dice onion and fry until golden with first amount of oil in a medium-large size saucepan.
• Add chicken and brown.
• Add 8 cups water and mix.
• Add 1 teaspoon of mixed savoury spices and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Cook for one hour.
• While the chicken is cooking, fry pieces of cauliflower with second measurement of oil.
• Fry until golden (well-cooked) but not burnt.
• Put aside.
• When chicken is ready, sieve stock into bowl and remove the chicken pieces.
• Coat with pinches of salt and mixed spices.
• Brown under grill.
• Get a medium sized pot.
• (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.
• Place chicken pieces face down in saucepan (be careful that the rice remains below the chicken).
• Place cauliflower pieces into saucepan, pressing it into the holes left by the chicken.
• Add chickpeas in the same way.
• Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of spices and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Add rice and spread evenly.
• Carefully and slowly pour the chicken stock on top to cover rice.
• Cook on stove-top until rice is cooked.
• Quickly flip the saucepan upside down onto a large serving tray (preferably round).
• Rub and cool down top of pot with a wet cloth.
• Carefully remove the pot, trying not to let the Upside Down collapse! (Don't worry if it does, it happens even to the experts!).
• 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.
• Eat with small bowls of yoghurt.

UPSIDE DOWN CHICKEN RICE

Steps:

• Trim any fat off the chicken and wash with water. Place the chicken, onion, cinnamon sticks, and carrots in a pot; fill with water, and boil until the chicken and carrots are done. Reserve the broth, chicken, and carrots.
• Remove bones from chicken. Warm 1 1/4 cup canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken and carrots in the pot; fry for 2 minutes.
• In a bowl, stir together the rice, ground cinnamon, pepper, and salt. Pour the rice mixture evenly across the top of the chicken without stirring into the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until rice is tender, 20 to 35 minutes.
• Heat 1/2 cup canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in chopped almonds, and fry until golden. Remove almonds to paper towels, and drain oil.
• Heat 1/4 cup canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in pine nuts, and cook until golden. Drain oil, and remove pine nuts to paper towels.
• Over a large dish or tray, flip the rice pot upside down, and release the contents onto the tray or dish. Arrange the almonds and pine nuts on top.

UPSIDE DOWN CHICKEN RICE

Steps:

• Trim any fat off the chicken and wash with water. Place the chicken, onion, cinnamon sticks, and carrots in a pot; fill with water, and boil until the chicken and carrots are done. Reserve the broth, chicken, and carrots.
• Remove bones from chicken. Warm 1 1/4 cup canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken and carrots in the pot; fry for 2 minutes.
• In a bowl, stir together the rice, ground cinnamon, pepper, and salt. Pour the rice mixture evenly across the top of the chicken without stirring into the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until rice is tender, 20 to 35 minutes.
• Heat 1/2 cup canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in chopped almonds, and fry until golden. Remove almonds to paper towels, and drain oil.
• Heat 1/4 cup canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in pine nuts, and cook until golden. Drain oil, and remove pine nuts to paper towels.
• Over a large dish or tray, flip the rice pot upside down, and release the contents onto the tray or dish. Arrange the almonds and pine nuts on top.