Total: Two Hours

Prep:  One and a half hour

Cook: 30 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

Level: Intermediate

Cost: $2.49 purchase online store

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Baghdadi Fish Makluba– Upside-Down Rice and Fish Meal

 

 I called this dish as Baghdadi Fish Maqluba, I have watched my mom cook this dish it was heavenly delicious I have not seen or heard anyone cook Fish Maqluba except my mother. This is a unique dish in taste, flavor, and technique. My Mom and Dad loved Fish so much, they would literally eat it during breakfast, lunch, and dinner with no problem.  The main ingredients in this dish are the fish and rice. The Fish Maqluba is served with fish, rice, potatoes, eggplant, and red cabbage.  The ingredients are organized neatly inside the pot after the Maqluba is fully cooked, the pot will be flipped upside down to be served. When the pot is flipped upside down it forms as a perfect circle as a cake like and all the ingredients stay in perfect order.  I have taken this original recipe and upgraded by adding more spices, and herbs to intensify in taste and flavor.  Baghdadi Fish Makluba have all the goodness in one pot, and it is a wonderful dish to make for a large gathering, you can add other side dishes like salad, and yogurt sauce. Baghdadi Makluba has a huge aroma, as soon you flipped the pot the aroma of the food comes out the smell of the basmati rice is so heavenly, the fish is so tender and melt in your mouth, also the layers of vegetables beautifully organized on top of each other and they all individual spiced and salted perfectly.  Also, I have included many pictures for easy understanding and follow on how to make this recipe. I hope you would enjoy this recipe as much as my family enjoys it. 

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Step 1 Ingredients for the Fish

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• 10 pieces of Fish or as preferred (Tilapia fish or any of your favorite fish)

• 3 to 4 tablespoon Olive oil

• Salt as preferred

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon garam masala powder

• 1 tablespoon paprika

 

Instruction

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Grease cook sheet with the 1 tablespoon olive oil adds the fish, olive oil, cumin, salt, black pepper, coriander powder, garam masala powder, paprika. Put in heated oven 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

 

Step 2 Ingredients for the eggplant

 

• 1 large eggplant cut a ½ inch thick in circle

• Salt as preferred

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon garam masala powder

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 7 tablespoon olive oil

 

Instruction

 

Cut the eggplant into ½ inch thick and place in well-greased cookie sheet add salt, cumin, black pepper, coriander powder, garam masala powder, paprika, and olive oil. Mix well and place in a heated oven of 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until is tender.

 

Step 3 Ingredient for the onion

 

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 7 onions sliced very thin

• 2 cups cabbage

•  A whole garlic head minced

• 5 tablespoon minced ginger

•  ½ jalapenos pepper chopped very fine

• 3 Sun Dried tomatoes chopped very fine.

• 2 tablespoon cumin spice

• 2 tablespoon Curry powder

• 2 tablespoons paprika,

• 2 tablespoon coriander,

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

• 1 tablespoon chili spice (optional)

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• Salt as preferred

 

Instruction for the onions

 

In a big pan add olive oil, onions let it cook for about 5 minutes until it is tender then add the cabbage, push all the onions on the side of the pan, on the empty side of the pan add a dash of olive oil and add the garlic, ginger, jalapenos pepper and sun-dried tomatoes and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then mix it with the onion and let it cook until the onions very tender. Start to add the spices cumin, Curry powder, paprika, coriander, cumin seeds, chili spice, paprika, and salt.

 

Step 4 Ingredients for the rice

 

• 5 cups of basmati rice

• 10 cups of boiled chicken broth or vegetable broth

• 5 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt as preferred

• ¼ tablespoon saffron

 

Instruction

In a large bowl add basmati rice, chicken broth, olive oil, salt, and saffron, let it soak for half an hour.   

 

 

Step 5 Ingredients for potatoes

 

3 to 4 small potatoes peeled and cut in ½ inch thick 

Salt as preferred

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon paprika

7 tablespoon olive oil

 

 

Instruction

 

In a large pot add the olive oil, then the potatoes, salt, cumin, ground black pepper, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and paprika.

 

Add your cooked fish, cooked eggplants, cooked onions, lastly the soaked rice. Add water to cover a ½ inch above the rice.

 

With a big spoon press the rice into the pot and add water if needed. The water should cover a ½ inch above the rice.

 

Cover well, if needed cover the lid of the pot with a towel and cover the pot tightly. Put it on high heat, after the whole water has vibrated, lower the heat and cover tightly for 30 minutes. Let it cook for about 20 to 30 minutes on low heat. ​

 

Flip the pot into a big tray and start to pull your pot with ease. Hopefully, it will come out as a cake like and everything stays together then add the garnish on top 

 

 

Steps 6 Garnish

 

• 1 cup Almond cut into halves

• 1 small Onion chopped

• 1 can 16 oz Chickpeas

• 1 cup Raisin (option)

• 2 tablespoons or more cilantro  

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Instruction to the garnish

 

In a frying pan add the olive oil and onion and cook until the onion very tender. In a different frying pan add the almond cook until golden brown then adds it to the onion, then add the chickpeas, raisin cook for few minutes remove from heat then add the cilantro. 

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