Iraqi Maklouba

Ingredients:

500 gm. Lamb or Beef, cut in to big pieces

2- Eggplant, cut into circle shapes

1- Onion, cut into circle shapes

1- Potato, cut into circle shapes

2- Tomato, cut into circle shapes

1- Carrot, sliced

2 glasses- Basmati rice, washed and soaked

4 glasses- Stock

1 ½ tbsp. Tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. Garlic, crushed

½ tsp. Ginger, crushed

2 sticks of Cinnamon

1 tsp. Garam masala powder

1 tbsp. Baharat spice mix

Few saffron threads, soaked in a tbsp. of hot milk

Olive oil, for frying

To make ¾ cup of the baharat spice mix:

2 tbsp. Black peppercorns

1 ½ tbsp. Coriander seeds

3 inch piece- Cinnamon

½ tsp. Cloves

1 ½ tbsp. Cumin seeds

1 tsp. Cardamom

1 tbsp. All spice berries

½ tsp. Nutmeg powder

2 tbsp. Paprika

Method:

1. To make baharat: Dry roast and grind the whole spices. Add the paprika and nutmeg powder and combine.

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and saute eggplant, onion, carrot and potatoes separately with pinch of salt and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat and sauté lamb or beef with salt, pepper powder, garam masala powder, cinnamon stick, garlic, ginger, baharat spice mix and cook until golden brown.

4. Add a cup of water to the pot and cook again until all water is drained and the meat is cooked well then take the meat out and set aside.

5. In large bowl combine tomato paste and rice mixing them together very well.

6. Prepare the same cooking pot add little olive oil and place fresh tomato as first layer into the pot then add onion as second layer then add potato after that add the meat.

7. Add carrot over the meat then add eggplant as final layer. Add the rice over the layers and carefully overflow with stock until the water cover the rice.

8. Cover the pot and place it over high heat until the stock start to boil then reduce the heat to medium and keep until the Maklouba is cooked.

9. Open the cover and use large spoon to press down the rice to stick stronger together.

10. Prepare flat serving plate and quickly flip the pot over the plate then hammer the pot with hand from different places and gently lift it up, serve and enjoy……