Ingredients
- 1/2 kg minced chicken – fe-rakh ma-froom-a
- 2 tbsp corn oil – zeit dor-a
- 2 tbsp butter – zeb-da
- 1 medium size onion, chopped – ba-sal
- 2 tbsp garlic, crushed – tom
- 1 tsp tomato paste – sal-sa ta-ma-tem
- 3 tbsp flour – de-‘ee’
- 2-3 spoonfuls of water- ma-ya
- 1 chicken stock cube – ma-gi fe-rakh
- 4 cups full cream milk – la-ban
- 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced – be-tin-gan
- 2 medium size tomatoes, sliced – ta-ma-tem
- 1 cup rice – roz
- 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded – gib-na che-dar
- salt and pepper – malh and fel-fel
- oil for frying – zeit ‘aley-a
Directions:
Prepare béchamel
Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add flour while stirring constantly for 15 seconds.
Add the milk and whisk frequently until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.
If the béchamel is too thick, add a splash of milk and whisk until mixed well. If too thin, add a little flour and whisk until blended.
Prepare main dish
Boil water in a large pan. Add chicken stock cube and rice, and cook until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the rice.
Heat the oven to high heat.
Heat oil in a medium pan on medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic until yellow. Add minced chicken and tomato paste, stir well for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, water as needed.
Reduce heat, cover the pan, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and pour the meat mixture in a baking dish.
In a separate pan, fry eggplant and tomatoes in hot oil and drain on kitchen paper.
Spread a layer of eggplant and tomatoes on top of chicken mixture in the baking dish.
Mix béchamel sauce with rice, and pour on top of the eggplant and tomatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
Place the baking dish in the oven until the cheese is melted and the surface turns golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately in the baking dish.
