Maqluba
Ingredients
3 kilo lamb shoulder on the bone
6 aubergines
2 x large Spanish onions
5 cups basmati rice
6 cloves of garlic (peeled)
Middle Eastern 7 spice mix
Cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Cardamom
2 x bay leaves
Turmeric
To Serve
Sprinkle liberally with almonds
Wedges of lemons
Greek yoghurt
Cucumber
Method
Place the lamb in a large casserole and boil in water, with 5 cardamon seeds, bay leaves, salt and pepper and whole onion roughly cut. Boil until meat is tender (around an hour a quarter). In the meantime, slice aubergine thickly (one inch / 3 cms thick), with skin on, fry in a little oil just enough to caramelise and brown on both sides. Take the lamb out of the liquid and leave the liquor to one side for use later.
Slice the remaining onion. In a large cooking pot / casserole, lay out a bed of sliced onion, lay the lamb joint on top of the onion bed, lay the fried aubergine on top of the lamb. Then add the 6 cups of basmati rice on top of the aubergine, sprinkle the garlic and turmeric, season well with salt and pepper and finally add enough of the cooked lamb water to cover the rice plus 3 cms more. Cover with cling-film and then cover with the pot lid and simmer on the hob on for an hour and a half.
Turn the pot onto a big beautiful serving place and slowly turn the contents out upside down. I recommend garnishing with almonds and parsley, wedges of lemon. Serve with Greek yoghurt and cucumber.
