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Halal-conscious recipe

Maqlooba with Halal lamb chops

Baneta Yelda's Iraqi-inspired maqlooba: Halal lamb chops marinated in pul biber and date molasses, layered with tomato, baked onion, potato and aubergine under spiced basmati, then turned out upside down.

  • Cuisine Iraqi
  • Meal Main
  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Yield 6 portions
  • Time 2h 55m
  • Last updated

Each method follows published technique for the dish, and every Halal substitution is checked against the ingredient pages we cite. Photographs come from our ingredient library rather than the finished dish.

Printable view
Large platter of yellowish kabsa rice with bone-in meat, tomato, cucumber, onion and lemon slices
Photograph of kabsa by Sammy Six (CC BY 2.0), not the finished dish from this recipe.

Photo: Sammy Six · CC BY 2.0

Why Halal checks matter here

The maqlooba is built around 4 to 6 lamb chops, which are Halal only from a Halal-slaughtered animal.

Maqlooba means upside-down: the pot is layered and cooked, then turned out onto a plate so the bottom becomes the top. Here lamb chops marinated in pul biber and date molasses are browned and layered over sliced tomatoes and pomegranate-glazed onions, with baked potato and aubergine and a top layer of turmeric and baharat rice. The source calls it Iraqi-inspired. The lamb chops are the only thing to check: they need to come from a Halal butcher or a certified pack.

It follows Baneta Yelda's maqlooba for BBC Good Food, which serves six in a 23 cm flameproof casserole. The source lines the base of the pan with a circle of baking parchment.

Rest it for 10 minutes under a tea towel before turning it out, and serve with lemon wedges if you like.

Halal-critical ingredients

  • Lamb chops Lamb is Halal only from a Halal-slaughtered animal, and lamb without a Halal mark doesn't say how the animal was slaughtered. Buy the chops from a Halal butcher or in a certified pack. See Lamb.

Safe substitutes

  • Lamb chops of unknown slaughter → Halal lamb chops

Allergens

none

Ingredients

Lamb

  • 4–6 Halal lamb chops
  • 2–3 tsp pul biber (Turkish pepper flakes)
  • 3 tbsp date molasses or date syrup (2 tbsp for the lamb, 1 tbsp to finish)

Rice and vegetables

  • 2 medium aubergines, in 1 cm slices
  • 300 g basmati rice
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp baharat spice mix
  • 6½ tbsp olive oil
  • 5 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 medium onions, in 1 cm rings
  • 4 medium potatoes, in 1 cm slices
  • 4–5 tomatoes, in 1 cm slices (enough to cover the base of the pan)
  • optional lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Marinate the lamb. Mix 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, the pul biber and 2 tbsp of the date molasses, rub it over the lamb chops, cover and leave for 1 hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
  2. Soak the aubergine and parboil the rice. Soak the aubergine slices in salted water for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Put the rice in a 23 cm flameproof casserole with 700 ml boiling water, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp turmeric, the baharat and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the rice starts to soften, then drain.
  3. Bake the vegetables. Drain and rinse the aubergine, toss with 4 tbsp oil, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and browning. On a second tray, toss the onions with 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses and salt and bake for 20 minutes. Toss the potatoes on a third tray and bake until tender.
  4. Brown the chops. Lift the chops from the marinade, shake off the excess and fry in ½ tbsp oil over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes a side, until browned but still pink inside.
  5. Layer. Line the base of the casserole with a circle of baking parchment. Overlap the tomato slices in circles on top, then add the onions, lamb chops, potatoes and aubergines. Spoon the rice over and flatten gently.
  6. Cook. Dissolve 1 tsp salt in 150 ml water and pour it over the rice with the last 1 tbsp each of date and pomegranate molasses. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the vegetables lightly caramelised.
  7. Rest and turn out. Take off the heat, lay a clean tea towel over the pan, put the lid on and rest for 10 minutes. Put a large plate over the pan and quickly turn it upside down, tap the base and lift the pan away. Peel off the parchment and serve with lemon wedges if you like.

How this recipe was researched

Method adapted from BBC Good Food's 'Maqlooba' by Baneta Yelda, which calls it Iraqi-inspired and explains that the name means upside-down (serves 6: 4 to 6 lamb chops rubbed with 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 to 3 tsp pul biber and 2 of 3 tbsp date molasses or syrup and marinated 1 hour at room temperature or overnight chilled; 2 medium aubergines in 1 cm slices soaked 20 minutes in salted water; oven at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6); 300 g basmati parboiled 3 to 5 minutes in 700 ml boiling water with salt, 1 tsp of 2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp baharat and ½ tsp black pepper, then drained; the aubergine baked 20 to 25 minutes with 4 tbsp of 6½ tbsp olive oil, salt and 2 of 5 tbsp pomegranate molasses; 2 medium onions in 1 cm rings baked 20 minutes with 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses and salt; 4 medium potatoes in 1 cm slices baked on a third tray; the chops fried 2 minutes a side in ½ tbsp oil; a 23 cm flameproof casserole lined with parchment and layered with 4 to 5 sliced tomatoes, the onions, chops, potatoes and aubergine, then the rice; 1 tsp salt dissolved in 150 ml water poured over with the last date and pomegranate molasses, covered 5 to 10 minutes on a medium heat, then 20 minutes on a lower heat; rested 10 minutes under a tea towel and the lid, then inverted onto a plate; lemon wedges optional). We specified Halal lamb chops; nothing else needed changing. Timings follow the published technique rather than a kitchen test.

Technique and ingredient sources

  1. Maqlooba — BBC Good Food Retrieved:

    By Baneta Yelda, described as Iraqi-inspired; the name means upside-down. Serves 6, prep 45 minutes plus marinating, cook 1 hour: lamb chops marinated in pul biber and date molasses, layered with tomato, baked onion, potato and aubergine under parboiled spiced basmati, cooked about 30 minutes, rested 10 and inverted. We specified Halal lamb.

  2. Lamb analysis — isithalal.food Retrieved:

    What makes lamb Halal: the slaughter.

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