Jordanian Eggplant Maqluba
Fried eggplant and fully cooked chicken layered with measured short-grain rice and recovered stock.
Preparation: 30 min · Cooking: 1 hr 8 min · Total: 2 hr 13 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 150 g DRY Egyptian short-grain rice, before rinsing
- 300 g Trimmed raw eggplant
- 200 g RAW boneless chicken thigh chunks
- 50 g Trimmed onion
- 0.5 tsp Ground allspice TOTAL, half chicken and half rice
- 0.125 tsp Ground turmeric
- 0.0625 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Salt, to taste
- 0.25 tsp Separate eggplant pre-salting allowance
- 240 ml Vegetable frying oil, operating allowance
- 600 ml Initial chicken braising water
- 500 ml Rice rinse water, discarded
- 90 ml Optional SHARED hot stock/rice adjustment water, maximum (optional)
Instructions
Rinse rice and prepare eggplant
Rinse 150 g DRY rice with separate 500 ml water; drain and discard rinse water. Wash/slice 300 g eggplant about 1 cm thick and chop 50 g onion before raw chicken work. Salt eggplant with separate 0.25 tsp and check from 20 minutes; blot released moisture and pat completely dry. Pre-salt is not all assumed eaten.
Rinse 150 g DRY rice with separate 500 ml water; drain and discard rinse water. Wash/slice 300 g eggplant about 1 cm thick and chop 50 g onion before raw chicken work. Salt eggplant with separate 0.25 tsp and check from 20 minutes; blot released moisture and pat completely dry. Pre-salt is not all assumed eaten.
Rinse rice and prepare eggplant: 1200 seconds
Fry measured eggplant batches
Heat the 240 ml operating oil allowance to 175°C in suitable deep cookware with safe fill/headroom. Fry dry slices in small batches, turn and check from 3 minutes until tender/golden. Record equipment-driven oil adjustment; do not force unsuitable cookware. Drain with clean tools; not all bath oil is eaten.
Heat the 240 ml operating oil allowance to 175°C in suitable deep cookware with safe fill/headroom. Fry dry slices in small batches, turn and check from 3 minutes until tender/golden. Record equipment-driven oil adjustment; do not force unsuitable cookware. Drain with clean tools; not all bath oil is eaten.
Fry measured eggplant batches: 180 seconds
Cook the selected chicken
Braise 200 g RAW boneless thigh chunks with onion, 0.25 tsp allspice and 600 ml initial water. Bring to a boil then simmer low, checking from 20 minutes until chicken reaches 74°C with a clean thermometer. Keep cooked chicken at 60°C or above with clean tools; this master contains no lamb.
Braise 200 g RAW boneless thigh chunks with onion, 0.25 tsp allspice and 600 ml initial water. Bring to a boil then simmer low, checking from 20 minutes until chicken reaches 74°C with a clean thermometer. Keep cooked chicken at 60°C or above with clean tools; this master contains no lamb.
Cook the selected chicken: 1200 seconds
Measure derived stock and spices
Measure 300 ml recovered stock FROM the initial 600 ml braise (half 150 ml, fourfold 1200 ml). Record any shortfall from the SAME shared maximum 90 ml hot reserve; save its remainder for rice. Surplus stock is outside this formula, not a second shopping input. Season drained rice with remaining 0.25 tsp allspice, 0.125 tsp turmeric, 0.0625 tsp cinnamon and salt.
Measure 300 ml recovered stock FROM the initial 600 ml braise (half 150 ml, fourfold 1200 ml). Record any shortfall from the SAME shared maximum 90 ml hot reserve; save its remainder for rice. Surplus stock is outside this formula, not a second shopping input. Season drained rice with remaining 0.25 tsp allspice, 0.125 tsp turmeric, 0.0625 tsp cinnamon and salt.
Layer and gently level
Use suitable approximately 18 cm base pot, 13 cm half, or FOUR matching base pots for fourfold, with comparable depth. Use food-safe parchment only if appropriate for cooker/pot. Layer cooked chicken/eggplant, spread rice and gently level with a utensil, not bare-hand packing. Pour measured recovered stock over a spoon; do not also require exactly 2 cm liquid above rice.
Use suitable approximately 18 cm base pot, 13 cm half, or FOUR matching base pots for fourfold, with comparable depth. Use food-safe parchment only if appropriate for cooker/pot. Layer cooked chicken/eggplant, spread rice and gently level with a utensil, not bare-hand packing. Pour measured recovered stock over a spoon; do not also require exactly 2 cm liquid above rice.
Simmer to rice and chicken checks
Bring to a controlled boil, cover with a normal fitted lid and simmer low, checking from 45 minutes until rice is fully tender AND representative chicken/rice centres reach 74°C. Use only recorded remaining shared reserve if needed; reconcile if more is required. Time alone is not proof.
Bring to a controlled boil, cover with a normal fitted lid and simmer low, checking from 45 minutes until rice is fully tender AND representative chicken/rice centres reach 74°C. Use only recorded remaining shared reserve if needed; reconcile if more is required. Time alone is not proof.
Simmer to rice and chicken checks: 2700 seconds
Rest off heat
After the complete cooking checks pass, rest covered off heat for 15 minutes. Prepare a stable compatible serving platter and protected grips before handling the hot pot.
After the complete cooking checks pass, rest covered off heat for 15 minutes. Prepare a stable compatible serving platter and protected grips before handling the hot pot.
Rest off heat: 900 seconds
Serve safely and chill
Invert only if pot/platter are manageable with protection from steam/hot liquid; spoon-serve if too heavy. Remove any parchment and divide into 2 catalogue shares. Chill shallow leftovers promptly, ideally in the fridge within 1 hour at 4°C or colder; use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C.
Invert only if pot/platter are manageable with protection from steam/hot liquid; spoon-serve if too heavy. Remove any parchment and divide into 2 catalogue shares. Chill shallow leftovers promptly, ideally in the fridge within 1 hour at 4°C or colder; use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C.
Tips
- Ingredient amounts scale for 1–8 catalogue servings; step quantities describe the base of 2 shares. Halve every numeric input for 1, multiply by four for 8, including process waters, garnish and operating allowances. Time, temperature, thickness and pan depth do not multiply: use matching-depth pans/small batches. Piece yields are separate from shares. Cup = 240 ml, tbsp = 15 ml, tsp = 5 ml. Record bounded optional water/oil adjustments; reconcile if inadequate.
Common mistakes
- Keep perishables at 4°C or colder and raw meat/fish/flour tools separate from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate shallow portions promptly within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C; do not wait for complete counter cooling. These are refrigeration deadlines, not a guaranteed time for any deep pot to reach 4°C.
Substitutions
- Keep specified raw/cooked/prepared states and measured components. Check actual product labels/allergens and stricter directions; reconcile incompatible products instead of silently replacing them.
Storage
Chill shallow portions promptly, ideally refrigerating within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C throughout. Earlier component deadlines still apply; assembly does not reset them. Keep perishables at 4°C or colder and raw meat/fish/flour tools separate from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate shallow portions promptly within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C; do not wait for complete counter cooling. These are refrigeration deadlines, not a guaranteed time for any deep pot to reach 4°C.
Reheating
Reheat cooked leftovers only once to 74°C throughout. Do not repeatedly warm/chill dips or cream-filled pastries, or try to repair earlier unsafe holding by reheating.
About this recipe
Fried eggplant and fully cooked chicken layered with measured short-grain rice and recovered stock.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.