Mediterranean🍚 Starches

Cauliflower Makloubeh with Lamb

Name: Cauliflower Makloubeh with Lamb
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 800 g lamb loin chops; 6 cups water; 1 tbsp salt; 1 large onion; 2 celery ribs; 3 garlic cloves; 3 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; 10 cardamom pods; ½ tsp whole black pepper; 4 whole cloves; 4 cups vegetable or canola oil; 2 heads of cauliflower; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 cups onions; 2 cups basmati rice; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp 7 spices; ¼ tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼ tsp nutmeg; 3 tomatoes

⏱ 255 min

A traditional Middle Eastern rice dish featuring layers of golden-fried cauliflower florets, tender lamb, caramelized onions, and aromatic spiced rice cooked together and inverted onto a serving platter. The rice absorbs the rich lamb broth beautifully, creating a fragrant and elegant presentation.

Adapted from a video by Suha's Dishes

طريقة تحضير مقلوبة الارنبيط (الزهرة) بلحم الغنم The Best Cauliflower Makloubeh with lamb Recipe

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

unsalted butter1 tbsp
olive oil1 tbsp
lamb loin chopsor lamb shanks/beef800 g
water6 cups
salt1 tbsp
large onionfor the meat broth aromatics1
celery ribsfor the meat broth aromatics2
garlic clovessliced, for the meat broth aromatics3
bay leaves

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1
Cut the lamb chops into desired sizes and pat dry with kitchen towels. Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium pot over high heat. Brown the meat on each side for about 3 minutes per side.
2
Pour the hot water over the meat. Once boiling, add salt and all aromatics (bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, onion, celery, and garlic slices). Stir well, cover, and simmer over very low heat for about 3 hours until the meat is very tender.
3
Remove the cooked meat pieces to a plate. Strain the broth through a sieve and set it aside.
4
Remove the leaves and central stem from both cauliflower heads. Cut the florets into appropriately-sized pieces, keeping them reasonably large to maintain their shape during cooking.
5
Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil in a pan. Fry the cauliflower florets in batches on both sides until light golden. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
6
In a medium pan, sauté the sliced onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring occasionally, until light golden to deep golden color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
7
Arrange a layer of sliced tomatoes at the bottom of the pot and cover with parchment paper. Layer the ingredients: arrange some cauliflower florets around the edges with the meat in the center, cover with the sautéed onions, then arrange the remaining cauliflower florets to cover the entire surface.
8
Drain the soaked rice. Mix the rice with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp 7 spices, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly over the cauliflower layer.
9
Pour 2 cups of the lamb broth over the rice. Cover and heat on medium-high until boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
10
Pour in another 2 cups of broth, cover, and continue cooking on low heat until all the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes.
11
Remove from heat and keep the pot covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then invert the entire dish onto a large serving platter or round pan. Optionally garnish with toasted pine nuts. Serve with yogurt or salad of your choice.

Cauliflower Makloubeh with Lamb

Ingredients

Steps

More like this