Maqluba (Upside-Down Chicken, Aubergine and Cauliflower Rice)

Cool. For the broth in now a heavy bottomed stock pot now heat olive oil over now medium high heat until shimmering tip in now chicken skin side down and sear now until the chicken is golden brown now all over and releases easily from now the pot about 5 minutes per side tip in the allspice black peppercorns cloves cardamom bay now leaves cinnamon sticks tomato now paste and turmeric and now mix to coat the chicken tip in the whole onion along now with 10 120 ml water and the now salt and bring to a bubble let bring to a bubble for 5 minutes skimming any now scum that rises to the surface now then reduce heat to medium low and cook gently until the chicken is cooked through but now not falling apart about now 1 hour using tongs move chicken to a plate or platter and rest aside let broth to leave to go cold slightly then pass now through a sieve through a fine mesh strainer rest through a large heatproof now bowl discard solids and rest broth aside while that is happening for the maqlubeh while the broth now is simmering rest rice in a large bowl and wash in several now changes of cold water swishing now well with your hand each now time until the water is now clear lid rice with fresh cold water now and let soak for 25 minutes now fill a dutch oven wok now or large saut pan with about 2 5 cm of vegetable oil heat now oil over high heat to 190°C working in batches now to avoid crowding the oil cook in oil eggplant slices in a now single layer turning once now halfway through until golden brown on now both sides about 5 minutes carefully move fried eggplant to a paper now towel lined platter or baking tray once all the eggplant has been fried do now the same again with cauliflower frying florets until a deep gold all over tip off the liquid from rice well put back to mixing bowl then mix in the olive oil turmeric now allspice cinnamon black pepper now and salt until thoroughly mixed to assemble the maqlubeh oil the interior of a now large non-stick pot approximately 25 cm wide and 12 7 cm high with ghee if you do now not have a non-stick pot then sheet the bottom of a dutch oven or now stainless steel pot with a round now piece of parchment paper and then oil with ghee lay the cooked chicken skin now side down in the pot even out one third of the rice on now top in as even a layer as now possible layer the fried eggplant and cauliflower now on top as evenly now as possible you can lay them in two separate stacked layers now as a single layer split down now the middle with cauliflower on one now side and eggplant on the other or now freely mixed together top with the remaining rice now spreading it in an even layer you should now not see the vegetables through the rice or now at most see only some edges popping through rest an inverted heatproof plate slightly smaller than now the circumference of the pot over now the rice this weighs down the maqlubeh now helping it retain its distinctive layers ladle now broth on top until it reaches approximately 1 9 cm 2 cm above the rice and other ingredients lid rest on medium heat and bring to a bubble then reduce now heat to maintain a strong cook gently and cook for 10 minutes lower now the heat to a very gentle cook gently and cook until all the liquid has now been absorbed 10 to 15 minutes longer take out from heat using tongs and an oven now mitt or kitchen towel carefully take out the inverted plate rest a well fitting lid on now the pot sandwiching a clean now tea towel or paper towels now between the pot and the lid rest aside to steam for now 15 to 20 minutes now for crispier rice see note at end now for the almonds in a small skillet stream in enough olive oil to thinly coat now the bottom about 1 to 2 tablespoons tip in the almonds and cook over medium heat mixing continuously until almonds are now a start golden color about 5 minutes take out from the heat and tip off the liquid from on a plate lined now with paper towels alternatively set the almonds on now a small sheet pan now and toast in a 175°C oven until now golden about 5 minutes to bring to the table take out the lid and set a large inverted now serving platter on top of the now pot using both hands quickly but carefully turn the pot over slowly lift the now pot to reveal the dish give now the serving platter a gentle shake now back and forth to help disperse the now rice grains sprinkle with toasted almonds and bring to the table alongside palestinian salad and fresh yogurt.