Mloukhiyeh, is also known as Egyptian spinach or Jew’s mallow. Widely used in Egyptian and ancient Jewish cuisine, mloukhiyeh has many nutritional benefits. It is rich with many types of vitamins including iron, potassium, vitamins B1 and B2 and dietary fiber. In fact, fiber content is so high it’s used to make burlap sacks. Mloukhiyeh also helps prevent obesity, diabetes, fatigue, it lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and prevents certain types of cancers, specifically colorectal. Contains five times more carotene and nine times more calcium than spinach. It’s also a natural skin moisturizer, and fights early aging. It’s no surprise that it was Cleopatra’s favorite food. The dish is served with steamed rice at the very bottom, the shredded chicken is added on top of the rice, then the mloukhiyeh and finally a few teaspoons of the chopped onion vinegar mixture is spooned on top. Serve it with toasted pita bread on the side.
Skill level: Intermediate
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- 1 organic chicken – boiled – or store bought rotisserie
- 2 or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 – 6 garlic – crushed
- 2 bunches cilantro leaves – chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) frozen packet mloukhiyeh or Jew’s mallow – thawed
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 large red onion – chopped
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups Jasmine rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Toasted pita bread pieces
- Remove the skin and debone the chicken. (see note #1 below)
- Set aside in a large bowl.
- In a deep skillet add the vegetable oil and garlic.
- Gently stir on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the chopped cilantro leaves and mloukhiyeh (with it’s juices) to the skillet.
- Mix together for a few minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, red pepper. The mloukhiyeh must be covered with broth.
- Cover and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower heat and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Make sure there is still liquid left. It should resemble thick soup. If you find that it doesn’t have enough liquid, add some more chicken stock (about 1/2 a cup).
- Chop the onion and place in a bowl along with the vinegar. Set aside.
- In a 5 quart saucepan add the rice and 5 1/2 cups water.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, cover and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and cook until all the water has been absorbed.
- Set aside.
- Toast the pita bread in a toaster till golden brown. Keep your eye on the toaster.Break into smaller pieces. Set aside.
- On a serving place, place 2 or 3 tablespoons rice.
- Add shredded chicken on top of the rice.
- Add 2 or 3 tablespoon of the mloukhiyeh mixture on top of the chicken.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped onions with vinegar on top of the mloukhiyeh.
- Serve with pieces of toasted pita bread. (see note #2 below)
- 1. The chicken doesn’t need to be hot. It can be served at room temperature.
- 2. There are those who like to place the pita bread at the very bottom, beneath the rice. I don’t like that method because the pita bread turns soft and soggy.
Mloukhiyeh slideshow:
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