• Maqluba, which means upside-down, gets its name owing to the cooking style, which involves flipping the pot it is made in. Victor Besa / The National
    Maqluba, which means upside-down, gets its name owing to the cooking style, which involves flipping the pot it is made in. Victor Besa / The National
  • All of the ingredients needed for maqluba, often credited as the national dish of Palestine. Victor Besa / The National
    All of the ingredients needed for maqluba, often credited as the national dish of Palestine. Victor Besa / The National
  • Vegetables used in the maqluba: aubergine, tomatoes and onions. Victor Besa / The National
    Vegetables used in the maqluba: aubergine, tomatoes and onions. Victor Besa / The National
  • To make maqluba, the vegetables and meat are layered under rice in a large pot. Victor Besa / The National
    To make maqluba, the vegetables and meat are layered under rice in a large pot. Victor Besa / The National
  • The aubergine is layered up the side of the maqluba pot. Victor Besa / The National
    The aubergine is layered up the side of the maqluba pot. Victor Besa / The National
  • Three generations cooking maqluba together, Nisreen Bajis with her mother, Nihaya (right), and daughter (left). Victor Besa / The National
    Three generations cooking maqluba together, Nisreen Bajis with her mother, Nihaya (right), and daughter (left). Victor Besa / The National
  • The moment of truth: Nisreen Bajis flips the maqluba with her mother. Victor Besa / The National
    The moment of truth: Nisreen Bajis flips the maqluba with her mother. Victor Besa / The National
  • The finished product, a perfectly flipped maqluba. Victor Besa / The National
    The finished product, a perfectly flipped maqluba. Victor Besa / The National

Ramadan recipe: maqluba – upside-down lamb, aubergine and rice


  • English
  • Arabic

Join The National and Table Tales on a culinary journey around the Middle East to savour the quintessential dishes that embody the spirit of Ramadan. From table staples to family favourites, this series of recipes – one for each day of Ramadan – pays homage to the holy month and the home cook alike.

Often credited as the national dish of Palestine, maqluba is also popular in other regions that make up the Levant, from Iraq and Lebanon to Jordan and Syria. The dish finds mention in the 13th-century Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of Dishes) written in the Abbasid period by Muhammad al-Baghdadi.

The dish got its name owing to the cooking style, which involves flipping the entire contents of the pot it is made in.

This upside-down rice dish is a fixture in every Palestinian home

Recipe contributor Nisreen Bajis says: "This upside-down rice dish is a fixture in every Palestinian home. Comprising of layers of fried aubergine, tomato, caramelised onions and lamb; sauteed and simmered in a broth of cinnamon, cardamom, all spice and rice.

"The aromas of this one-pot wonder always take me back to weekend lunches with the whole family and conjures up images of my mum cooking up a storm in the kitchen, with her little helpers, my sisters and I. We are so fortunate to have my mum, Nihaya, with us this Ramadan and to be able to make this dish together, with a new helper, my daughter. Maqluba is traditionally served with a tomato and cucumber salad and yoghurt."

Three generations cooking maqluba together, Nisreen Bajis with her mother, Nihaya (right), and daughter (left). Victor Besa / The National
Three generations cooking maqluba together, Nisreen Bajis with her mother, Nihaya (right), and daughter (left). Victor Besa / The National

Nisreen Bajis's maqluba – upside-down lamb, aubergine and rice

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients for the lamb broth: 

  • 1.5kg lamb, cut into 10-12 pieces 
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp all spice
  • 10 cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 cloves
  • 4 tbsp sunflower oil 
  • 1 tsp salt

Ingredients for the vegetable mix:

  • 1 large onion cut into thin wedges
  • 3 medium size eggplants sliced lengthways
  • 2 large tomatoes size sliced

Ingredients for the rice mix:

  • 3 cups medium grain rice, wash and soaked for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp seven spices
  • 1 tsp all spice
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup slivered almonds to garnish
Vegetables for the maqluba. Victor Besa / The National
Vegetables for the maqluba. Victor Besa / The National

Method:

  1. Wash the lamb and pat dry. In pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp of oil and sear the lamb, letting all the liquid drain out and evaporate. Pour enough water over to cover the meat by 1cm to 2cm and add all the lamb broth spices. Seal the pot and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Once cooked, remove the lamb from the broth and set aside. Save the broth by pouring the mixture through a colander to remove the onion and spices.
  3. Fry the onions in the remaining 2 tbsp of oil until caramelised and set aside. Brush the aubergine in sunflower oil, place on a baking tray and bake in the oven until tender.
  4. In another pot, layer the tomatoes and fried onion, then the aubergine so that it goes up the sides of the pot. Layer the lamb on top of the vegetables.
  5. Drain the rice, which will have been soaking in water for a least 15 minutes, and add the cinnamon, seven spices, all spice and salt.
  6. Place the rice in a layer on top of the lamb and pour the lamb stock on top, enough to cover by 1cm. Note, if you do not have enough broth, you can top it up with warm water.
  7. Let the rice boil for 10 minutes and then cover the pot tightly and leave it to simmer on a medium to low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
  8. Once cooked, let the pot sit for a few minutes before removing the lid and placing a large tray on top of the pot, then flipping it over.
  9. Serve with a side of plain yoghurt and simple salad made up of cucumber, tomato and parsley, dressed in olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Garnish the maqluba with slivered almonds. 

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Read more: 

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This dish has been brought to you by Nisreen Bajis and curated by international recipe hunter Hanan Sayed Worrell, author of Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi. The Table Tales concept celebrates the people and stories that give flavour to recipes of the Middle East. 

Tips for SMEs to cope
  • Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
  • Make sure you have an online presence
  • Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
  • Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
    Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

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Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

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UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)