Eggplant Maqluba

Cut the eggplant, wash it with water, sprinkle it with salt, and set it aside so it releases its moisture... Slice the eggplant into thick rounds and also lengthwise. Fry the eggplant in deep hot oil and set aside...

Wash the four cups of rice and soak it in lukewarm water for a while.... Then drain the soaked rice and place a pot over the heat. Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil, add the rice with a pinch of salt and cinnamon, and cover it with water. When the top of the rice starts to dry, turn off the heat and set it aside (at this point, the rice is not fully cooked yet and will finish cooking in the third stage)

When the maqluba is done, leave it aside for about 10 minutes or more, then invert the pot onto a serving platter... Garnish the dish with the remaining fried eggplant pieces, which we cut thick and lengthwise while keeping the eggplant skin on... Finally, garnish the dish with nuts, as desired...

Prepare the coarse-ground meat. Put a pot over the heat with two tablespoons of oil and a finely chopped onion. Add the meat, a pinch of black pepper, meat spices, and a pinch of salt, along with two finely chopped tomatoes and a small can of tomato paste. Stir until cooked through..

Prepare a pot and add two tablespoons of oil, then arrange slices of onion and tomato and hot pepper (if desired) in the bottom. Arrange the fried round eggplant slices on top, then add the meat, and then the rice. Cover and cook over low heat for half an hour ..