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Candied beetroot maqluba
Serves 6-8 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 500g freshly cooked basmati rice
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- zest 1 orange
- 1-2tbsp orange blossom water
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- 125g smoked mackerel, broken into pieces
- 45ml rapeseed oil
- 400g mixed candied beetroot and regular beetroots, peeled and cut into 5 mm slices
- 40g butter
Method
In a bowl, combine the rice with the garlic, orange zest and orange blossom water, and season with salt and pepper. Remove 3-4tbsp of the rice and place in a small mixing bowl with the turmeric.
To the rest of the rice, add in the mackerel. Cover and set aside. Add the oil and 2-3tbsp water to a heavy-based saucepan with a lid and place over a medium- to-low heat. Arrange the beetroot slices on the base of the pan, starting with the red ones from the outside and the whiter/yellower ones inside, overlapping as you go. Sprinkle over the rice, then use the handle end of a spoon to make three indents, without piercing through the beetroot layer. Wrap the lid of the pan in a clean tea towel and tie it into a tight knot at the handle, then cover the pan (the tea towel will prevent the moisture from dripping into the rice and making it soggy). Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Once rested, remove the lid and carefully flip onto a large serving plate. The maqluba won’t turn over in a tidy manner, so don’t worry. Just feel free to reposition the beetroot accordingly.
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