Maqluba – The Famous Middle Eastern Upside-Down Pot

A classic dish from the Levant, Maqluba means “upside-down” in Arabic — a hearty, layered meal of rice, vegetables, and meat that’s flipped after cooking for a show-stopping presentation.

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Ingredients

• Meat of choice (chicken or lamb) — browned/seared

• Eggplant — sliced and roasted or pan-fried

• Cauliflower — browned/fried

• Tomatoes — sliced

• Rice — soaked and rinsed

• Water (just enough to cover the rice by a finger’s width)

Spices & Seasoning:

• Salt

• Mixed spices (e.g., Garam Masala, Baharat, 5-Spice mix)

• Broth (optional, for richer flavor)

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Preparation Steps

1. Prepare All Ingredients Separately:

   • Brown the meat in a pan.

   • Slice eggplants and roast or fry them.

   • Brown the cauliflower in a pan or oven.

2. Layer the Pot: (bottom to top)

   1. Tomatoes (base layer)

   2. Meat

   3. Eggplants

   4. Cauliflower

   5. Rice (on top)

3. Add Water:
   Pour enough water to cover everything — about a finger’s width above the rice.

4. Season:
   Add salt, mixed spices, and broth or bouillon if desired.

5. Cook:
   Cover and cook gently for about 45 minutes until the rice is done.

6. Flip & Serve:
   Once cooked, let it rest for a few minutes. Then carefully flip the pot upside down onto a serving plate — that’s the Maqluba magic!

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Did You Know?

Maqluba isn’t just a dish — it’s a festive tradition across the Middle East. Every family has its variation, and flipping the pot at the table often gets a round of applause! In Raed's version, shaped by his Iraqi roots and Brazilian life, you taste a blend of cultures in every layer.

Rhubarb Cake – Polish Style (Ciasto z Rabarbarem)

Rhubarb Cake – Polish Style (Ciasto z Rabarbarem)

Light, fluffy, and so easy to make — this rhubarb cake is a early summer favorite! Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, or enjoyed with a dollop of whipped cream on the terrace.

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Ingredients

(For one large round baking tin or two smaller ones)

• 200 g margarine (or butter)

• 200 g wheat flour

• 200 g sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1 packet vanilla sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 800 g fresh rhubarb

• 100 g powdered sugar (for dusting)

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Preparation

1. Prepare the Batter

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together 200 g margarine and 200 g sugar.

• Add the 4 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

• Stir in the vanilla sugar.

• Gradually add the flour and baking powder, gently mixing until smooth.

2. Prepare the Rhubarb

• Peel and cut 800 g of fresh rhubarb into small pieces (about 1 cm x 1 cm cubes).

3. Prepare the Baking Tin

• Grease a large round baking tin (or two smaller ones) with margarine and dust with flour to prevent sticking.

• Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the surface.

• Evenly spread the rhubarb pieces over the batter.

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Baking

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (top/bottom heat).

• Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

• Let it cool slightly, then sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

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Serving Suggestion

Serve with a nice cup of tea or freshly brewed coffee.
And with all that healthy rhubarb inside — a little whipped cream on top is definitely allowed!

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

3 big carrots
3 eggs
400g flour
300g sugar
1 pack of raising flour
200ml of sunflower oil


How to do it

Start with peeling the carrots.
Grate the carrots
In a separat bowl whisk the eggs and add the oil.
Add carrots to the eggs. Use a hand blender do blend the carrots and eggs until there is kind of a coarse texture.
Add the sugar, raising flour and flour. Mix everthing with a wooden spoon.
Put on a baking tray and bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.

After taking cake out of the oven you can cover it with a liquid chocolate.


It is a very tasty carrot cake. Enjoy.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

Now this is a really great green thai curry. Recipe is from BBC Good Food.

Here is the link>>>GREEN THAI CHICKEN CURRY

Pics will follow

Cleasing Digestion Natural Additive

4 ingredience - same quantity for all (100g)

Oats
Wheat germ
Crushed golden glax seed
Wheat bran


Mix everything and add it to your yogurt or fruit salad.
Two full spoons per day.

Plum Dumplings

Plum dumplings are delicious. It is a perfect dessert or even a main dish which combines the sweetness of sugared cinnamon dumpling on the outside with a tasty potato dough and the sweet-sour melting plum on the inside.

Indian flavored Chicken Korma with Rice

First step

prepare spice mixture of:

        

•             6 whole cloves

•             2tsp (teaspoons) cinnamon powder

•             6 cardamoms

•             2tsp ground cumin

•             3tsp curry powder

•             1tsp of salt

•             1tsp black peppercorns

v  Grind and mix all spices

v  before grinding the black peppercorns and cloves roast them slightly to extract the flavors

Second step

prepare before you start cooking:

•             4 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped)

•             about 4cm of fresh ginger peeled and grated

•             3 large onions (peeled and chopped)

•             6 ripe tomatoes (dice them in small cubes)

•             800 ml of coconut milk

•             500 g chicken breast (cut them in big cubes 2cm x 2cm)

•             3tbsp (tablespoons)of sunflower oil

•             50 g of chopped cashew nuts (or any other nut)

Third step

start cooking your curry:

•             add olive oil and chicken to the hot pot and sear chicken

•             add spice mixture to the seared chicken and stir fry for 1-2 min

•             add onions and continue stir frying for 2-3 min

•             add tomatoes and let it cook for 5 min

•             add coconut milk and let the curry simmer for about 40 min

•             do not forget to stir your chicken korma every couple of minutes to avoid burning

Fourth step

start cooking your (basmati) rice:

•             you can start with preparing your rice 20 min after the curry started simmering

•             wash 200g of basmati rice (200g is enough for 2-3 people)

•             add rice wiht 400ml of hot water to the pot and cook it for 10 min

•             take rice pot from fire and cover it. leave it another 10 min covered.

Fifth step

After about 40 min of simmering your chicken korma curry the consistency of the curry sauce should be creamy. 

This is when your curry is ready to be served.

Serve rice with curry and sprinkle the chopped nuts over the curry.

You can add chili powder or pepper to spice up your dish if you prefer.

Enjoy your meal.