Maklouba Baytinjan – Baked Chicken and Eggplant

1. Prepare a peeled eggplant: slice in 1/4 inch pieces lengthwise down the eggplant. Sprinkle both sides with salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Then firmly press each piece between paper towels or clean towels.

2. While eggplant is sweating in salt, heat a medium pan with 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in the bottom of the pan. After drying the eggplant in towels, fry each piece in the oil till golden brown. Place cooked pieces on a paper-towel-lined plate.

3. Combine all dry spices except salt.

4. Depending on your white rice, you may or may not want to soak it. Mine is best left soaking in water while I am doing all this. I drain the water off before adding it later in the recipe.

Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons oil (give or take) in the bottom of a large stockpot over medium high heat. Wash and pat dry the fryer chicken.

Add the chicken and sliced onions to the hot stockpot. Sprinkle about half of the mixed spices over the chicken. Fry for about 4 minutes on each side.

Scrape the bottom of the pan and keep the chicken from sticking. Then, add boiling water, about 4-6 cups (depending on your stockpot—you want the water to completely cover the chicken). Reduce heat to medium low, to simmer. I usually cook the chicken for about 25 minutes here.

5. When the eggplant is done, I drain the oil and fry the tomato whole over medium high heat, turning a few times till the skin bursts and the tomato is soft. Move to a cutting board and chop or slice.

6. Drain the chicken broth water into another pan and keep it boiling till needed in the next step. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water.

7. Loosen the chicken from the bottom of the chicken pot. Scatter the tomatoes over the chicken.

Then, cover the chicken with a layer of fried eggplant. Now, sprinkle more spices and garlic over the eggplant.

Next place rice on top of this. Add more salt here.

Now, place a metal pot cover over the rice. The top needs to be smaller than the stockpot so it can lay directly on the rice. You could use an oven-safe plate here, too.

Pour some of the reserved broth over this now. The chicken broth/water should just come to the top of the rice, just covering the edges of the pot top or plate.

Simmer on low to medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. Add more chicken broth as needed. Check rice for desired tenderness.

8. Remove the pot cover or plate from the rice. Place a large round serving plate over the stockpot. Flip the stockpot and serving plate over together and let rest for a few minutes.

Serve with warm pita bread! Some people also serve this with plain yogurt to top. Sahtain!