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Dinner

Maqluba with Nuts

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1 10

Rest time 30

The one pot upside down dinner that will wow everyone.

by Erez Shaul and Israeli Kitchen

Food 4 Thought

The blessing we make after washing our hands before eating bread is “Blessed are you God, Master of the universe, who sanctified us with mitzvot, and commanded us with the lifting up our hands.” What an unusual blessing. Why doesn’t the blessing talk about washing our hands, why lifting them up? The answer is because we are about to eat, and the hands are the tools we are going to use to break bread and eat the food. The lifting up of the hands before the meal begins is how we become aware of the spiritual nature of the meal. Before any food passes our lips we are already becoming mindful of the food we are about to ingest. Learn more about eating mindfully Jewish.

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Flipping a maqluba pot is always a bit nerve-wracking. When it turns out right, it's impressive; when it doesn't, it's still tasty.

Maqluba is a traditional Middle Eastern dish with layers of rice, meat or chicken, and vegetables. You cook it all together, then flip it for a unique upside-down presentation. In Arabic, maqluba means "upside down."

It's a hit in Mizrachi Jewish homes, especially those with roots in Iraq. Maqluba is one of those comfort foods that hits the spot when it's done well, going straight from your mouth to your soul.

IngredientsInstructions

Ingredients

Servings

Oil neutral flavored
1 potato sliced
1 zucchini cut into cubes
1 white onion sliced
2 pounds ground beef
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups Persian or jasmine rice rinsed
¼ cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raw almonds
¼ cup Jamie Geller festive herb pilaf mix or other herb seasoning blend optional
5-6 shallots whole
5 whole garlic cloves
4 cups water

Instructions

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts

Maqluba with Nuts

Amount per Serving

Calories

579

% Daily Value*

Fat

29

g

45

%

Saturated Fat

9

g

56

%

Trans Fat

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3

g

Monounsaturated Fat

12

g

Cholesterol

81

mg

27

%

Sodium

384

mg

17

%

Potassium

786

mg

22

%

Carbohydrates

54

g

18

%

Fiber

6

g

25

%

Sugar

3

g

3

%

Protein

27

g

54

%

Vitamin A

309

IU

6

%

Vitamin C

13

mg

16

%

Calcium

195

mg

20

%

Iron

7

mg

39

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Instructions

In a deep frying pan with a thin layer of oil, fry the potatoes, remove to a plate. Fry zucchini until golden, add to plate.
In the same pan fry onion with beef. Add salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, ras el hanout, and garlic powder. Mix well.
In a large bowl pour rice, add meat mixture, pine nuts and almonds. Mix in seasoning blend.
Prepare a large deep nonstick pot that can go in the oven. Arrange fried potato slices on the bottom. Top with half the rice/meat mixture. Arrange zucchini cubes, whole shallots, and garlic over top.
Pour remaining rice/meat mixture over top. Add 4 cups of water and cover with lid.
Place on stove on low heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 340℉/170℃. Place pot in oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and wait about 30 minutes before flipping and serving.