Upside-Down Chicken & Rice (Maqloobeh)

1. Dice the onion and garlic. Throw into a large saucepan with the olive oil. Cook until soft, just a few minutes.

2. Add chicken, spices, salt and pepper to taste. Add water and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low until chicken is done, approximately 45 minutes.

3. While chicken is cooking, slice 3 1/2-inch rounds off of the eggplant. Dice remaining eggplant.

4. Wash cauliflower and break into smaller florets.

5. Fry the cauliflower and eggplant in cooking oil in a small pan until brown.

6. Once chicken is done, pull it from the cooking liquid and SAVE all of the cooking liquid.

7. In another large saucepan, place the three rounds of eggplant on the bottom. Layer the chicken on top of the rounds. Then layer the vegetables (cauliflower/eggplant) on top of the chicken.

8. Pour the uncooked basmati rice over the whole mixture. Then gently pour in all of the saved cooking liquid.

9. Heat on high until boiling and then watch for the rice to be cooked (about 15-20 minutes).

10. Once rice is cooked, get a very large serving plate. Invert the plate onto the pot, and then turn the pot and plate over onto the table. Remove the pot gently. The dinner should come out as a mold of the pot with the chicken on top and rice on the bottom. It may fall apart, but that’s not a big deal.

11. Toast the pine nuts or almonds and sprinkle over the top.

12. Enjoy!