Tender lamb, golden aubergine and fragrant rice, layered and turned out together—a generous dish for the family table. Prepared with Al-Khair Golden Corn Oil.
SERVES
6
PREPARATION
30 min
COOKING
≈ 2 hrs
Method
01
Cook the lamb
Place the lamb in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Add the onion, whole spices and salt. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes, until tender. Remove the lamb and strain the broth.
02
Prepare the rice
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Soak in cool water for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
03
Fry the vegetables
Lightly salt the aubergine slices, leave for 20 minutes and pat dry. Heat the corn oil in a frying pan. Fry the aubergines and potatoes in batches until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
04
Build the layers
Lightly oil a heavy-bottomed pot. Arrange the tomato slices across the base, followed by the lamb, aubergines and potatoes.
05
Add the rice and broth
Mix the drained rice with the ground spices and spread evenly over the vegetables. Taste the broth and adjust its salt. Slowly pour in 4½ cups of hot broth, using the back of a spoon to avoid disturbing the layers. Add hot water if you have insufficient broth.
06
Cook gently
Bring to a gentle boil, cover tightly and reduce to the lowest heat. Cook for 20–25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 15 minutes.
07
Turn out and serve
Place a large serving platter over the pot. Using oven gloves, hold both firmly and carefully invert. Wait a minute before lifting the pot. Finish with toasted nuts and parsley, and serve with yoghurt and salad.
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Recipe","name":"Lamb Maqluba","alternateName":"مقلوبة باللحم",
"description":"Tender lamb, golden aubergine and fragrant rice, layered and turned out together—a generous dish for the family table. Prepared with Al-Khair Golden Corn Oil.",
"image":"https://sycof-o.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/recipe-maqluba.jpg",
"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Syrian Olive Oil Company"},
"recipeCuisine":"Syrian","recipeCategory":"Main course","recipeYield":"6 servings",
"prepTime":"PT30M","cookTime":"PT2H","totalTime":"PT2H30M",
"recipeIngredient":["1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces","1 onion, quartered","2 bay leaves","5 cardamom pods","1 cinnamon stick","½ teaspoon black peppercorns","Salt, to taste","Water, to cover","3 cups basmati rice","2 medium aubergines, sliced into 1 cm rounds","2 medium potatoes, sliced into rounds","2 tomatoes, sliced","Al-Khair Golden Corn Oil, for frying","1 teaspoon ground allspice","½ teaspoon ground cinnamon","½ teaspoon ground black pepper","4½ cups hot, strained lamb broth","Toasted almonds or pine nuts","Chopped parsley","Plain yoghurt and cucumber–tomato salad"],
"recipeInstructions":[
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Cook the lamb","text":"Place the lamb in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Add the onion, whole spices and salt. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes, until tender. Remove the lamb and strain the broth."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Prepare the rice","text":"Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Soak in cool water for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Fry the vegetables","text":"Lightly salt the aubergine slices, leave for 20 minutes and pat dry. Heat the corn oil in a frying pan. Fry the aubergines and potatoes in batches until golden. Drain on kitchen paper."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Build the layers","text":"Lightly oil a heavy-bottomed pot. Arrange the tomato slices across the base, followed by the lamb, aubergines and potatoes."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Add the rice and broth","text":"Mix the drained rice with the ground spices and spread evenly over the vegetables. Taste the broth and adjust its salt. Slowly pour in 4½ cups of hot broth, using the back of a spoon to avoid disturbing the layers. Add hot water if you have insufficient broth."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Cook gently","text":"Bring to a gentle boil, cover tightly and reduce to the lowest heat. Cook for 20–25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 15 minutes."},
{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Turn out and serve","text":"Place a large serving platter over the pot. Using oven gloves, hold both firmly and carefully invert. Wait a minute before lifting the pot. Finish with toasted nuts and parsley, and serve with yoghurt and salad."}]}
Traditional maqluba with lamb and vegetables, prepared with golden corn oil for the best results.
