maqlooba.

Belive it or not I have a Palestinian friend who lived in Poland for 23 years, before moving to England, he told me about his national dish and of course that weekend  I made It (Thanks Mo) a fantastic treat for a large group.

Ingredients

500g chicken legs/thighs  1/2 cups oil

1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Salt

4 saffron threads

2 cinnamon sticks

5 whole cardamom seeds

3 peppercorns

5 cups water

Freshly ground black pepper

1 head cauliflower , trimmed into florets

1 large potato, peeled, cubed, and salted; make sure to place in a colander so water can drain

2 onions, halved through the root end and thinly sliced, core still attached

4 cups medium grain rice

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon

 

In a saucepan, brown both sides of the chicken in  oil. Once browned, add nutmeg, allspice, cumin powder, salt, saffron, cinnamon sticks, cardamom seeds, and peppercorns

Add approximately 5 cups of water to just cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Season with freshly ground pepper. Cover and over low-medium heat for about 50 minutes or until the meat begins to pull away from the bone. When done, set the chicken aside and keep the broth.
Fry the cauliflower in a large pot with oil until  brown. Remove  Once that is done, repeat this process with the potato  aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in the pot . When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they sweat, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked chicken, taken off the bone cook together for a few minutes  rinse the rice about 5 or 6 times until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a pot, stir the  into the raw rice, and mix well. Add the fried potato and cauliflower to the chicken mixture and then put the seasoned rice on top. Pour broth into the pot to just barely cover the rice. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Approximately 10 minutes later add a 1/4 cup of oil and re-cover. When the water is completely gone the dish is done, about 25 minutes or until rice is cooked.
Remove the pot from the heat and let rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. Place a large serving plate on top of the dish and flip the pot and plate over. Season  to taste, with salt and pepper
serve with salad and Greek yogurt