Jordan: Maklouba Upside-down Chicken with Fattoush Salad
The history of Jordan stretches back thousands of years so it is hardly surprising that this country of legend is reputed to be both ancient and modern, charming and chaotic, all at the same time. Multiple ancient civilizations called Jordan home over the millennia, and spectacular ancient ruins remain dotted across the landscape, the ‘lost’ city of Petra possibly being the most famous. What is less well known about Petra is that back in the 1st century BCE this city was a key player in the Asiatic spice trade.
Back in antiquity, a community’s importance on a trade route came down to three things, location, location and location; and this western Asian country holds a unique place in the World. Strategically located at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe, Jordan shares a south-western maritime border with the beautiful and abundant Red Sea and a western border with the salty and barren Dead Sea. Near neighbours include Palestine and Israel to the west, Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east and Saudi Arabia to the east and south.
Jordanian Culinary practices are linked to eastern Mediterranean Levantine cuisine. It has its own unique variations on Levant food traditions and also shares similarities with the food of neighbours across the region including Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Armenia. Jordan is one of the biggest producers of olives in the world. Not surprisingly, the fruit and oil from the olive tree shine as a key ingredient in this interesting cuisine alongside fresh spices, lemon, onion, tomato, garlic, chick pea, yoghurt, sesame seeds and fresh herbs.
Our Jordanian Menu
included
Maklouba Upside-down Chicken
with
Fattoush Salad
We recommend you begin your Jordanian meal with a
Mezze Platter
The Mezze will lead your palate through a range of rich and creamy flavours
and set the stage for the more complicated, show-stopper - the Maklouba.
The Mezze should include
Pita bread
and a variety of tasty dip dishes
such as hummus & labneh yoghurt
MAKLOUBA UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN
Ingredients:
· 1 Whole chicken, skinned and cut into pieces or 6 chicken thighs
· 2 cups rice
· ½ a large eggplant, peeled and sliced
· ½ a cauliflower, cut into flowerettes and sliced
· 200 ml olive oil or more as required
· 1 onion, finely chopped
· 100 gm pine nuts, toasted
· 2 tsp turmeric powder
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· ½ tsp nutmeg powder
· ½ tsp allspice powder
· 1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
· ½ tsp ground cardamom
· Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
· Salt to taste
· 1 cup of fresh chopped coriander and parsley
Method:
1. Mix all spices including 1 tsp of turmeric powder, salt and pepper together
2. Wash the rice until the water runs clear then leave to drain
3. Brown the chicken in olive oil in a medium/large pot for about 10 mins
4. Add 5 cups of water and bring pot to the boil, add the spice mix and stir
5. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally
6. While the chicken is cooking brush eggplant and cauliflower with olive oil and roast in the oven at 200 degrees C until golden and set aside
7. After 20minutes remove chicken from the stock and set aside
8. Reserve the stock for later too
9. Take a large pot, add olive oil and sautéthe onion until transparent
10. Remove the pot from the heat and layer in a decorative wheel pattern of the cauliflower and eggplant then add the chicken on top
11. Now add the rice over that and pour in a total of 4 cups of liquid using the reserved stock and if needed some extra water
12. Add the extra tsp turmeric powder, some extra salt and pepper and stir it into the top of the stock
13. Bring the stock to the boil, turn the heat down to low, put a lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid
14. Turn the heat off and let the covered pot sit on the stove element as it cools for 10 minutes – don’t remove the lid during that time
15. At this point, if you don’t take the lid off , your Maklouba will stay warm until you are ready to serve
16. To serve, remove lid, take a large round serving plate, put it over the pot, hold it in place and flip the pot over – you may need a hand
17. Slowly remove the pot to reveal your up-side down dinner decorated on top with the ‘wheel’ of vegetables
18. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and pine nuts and serve
This is a Q-Zine original Recipe created from several found at:
FATTOUSH SALAD
Ingredients:
· 3 tomato, chopped
· 1 loaf pita bread or flat bread
· Bottle of extra virgin olive oil
· 1 romaine lettuce, torn
· 1 cucumber, chopped
· 4 green onion/shallots, whites and greens chopped
· 5 radishes, sliced thinly
· 2 tbs fresh chopped coriander or flat leaf parsley
· 2 tbs fresh chopped mint leaves
Dressing Ingredients:
· 1/3 cup olive oil
· Juice of 2 limes or juice of 1 lemon
· 1 large clove garlic, crushed
· ½ tsp sumac spice or substitute with ½ tsp salted lemon zest shreds
· ½ tsp pomegranate molasses
· salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
· pinch or 2 of ground cinnamon
Method:
1. heat oven to 180 degrees C
2. Brush pita bread with olive oil and bake in oven until golden and dry
3. Put bread aside to cool and then break into bight size pieces
4. Mix lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onions, radish and herbs in a bowl
5. Place all the dressing ingredients into a clean jar, put the lid on and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are combined
6. Taste the dressing and if necessary adjust the flavours by adding more of any of the ingredients until desired flavour is reached e.g. too tangy – add oil (and vice versa)
7. Shake dressing again, pour over the salad and toss the salad
8. Add the pita chips and toss again
9. Your salad is ready to serve
This is a Q-Zine original Recipe created from several found at:
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