How to Make Lebanese Mulokhiyah (Jew's Mallow)

Mulokhiyah, which is also known as Jew's Mallow or Jute Leaves, is a dish that is made in various forms in the Middle East. It is very high in calcium, Dietary Fiber, β-carotene, protein, and iron. After looking over this article, you will be able make your own Lebanese Mulokhiyah dish and serve it with rice. [1]

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of dried mulokhiyah
  • 1 whole chicken or two boneless breasts
  • 2 pieces of cinnamon bark
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 4 small white onions
  • 1 cup of diced cilantro
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Salt
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Making the Mulokhiyah

  1. 1
    Prepare the chicken broth. Start off by rinsing off the chicken and then place it in a large pot. It is the cook's choice whether to use a whole chicken or boneless breasts. Pour enough water in the pot to cover the chicken and let it boil. As the water begins to boil, remove the scum (white foam) from the surface of the pot using a straining spoon. Since the boneless breasts have less fat, there will not be a big presence of foam on the surface of the pot. However, a whole chicken has more fat than the boneless breasts. To remove all the fat from the whole chicken, take a fork and pierce it into the chicken and continue to strain the scum from the surface.
    • This dish can also be made using beef stew meet instead of boneless breasts or whole chicken. You will follow the same steps as well.
  2. 2
    Add herbs to flavor the chicken broth. After removing the scum from the surface of the pot, it is time to flavor the chicken. This requires adding a stick of cinnamon bark that is about 3–4 inches (8–10 cm), 3 bay leaves, 3 cardamom pods, and one small onion to the broth. Allow the chicken to cook in the chicken broth on medium-high heat for 45 minutes to an hour. This duration of time includes the previous step as well.
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  3. When making this dish, there is the option of using dried or frozen mulokhiyah. As shown in the image, dried mulukhiyah was used to make the dish. If using frozen mulokhiyah, you may continue onto the next step. Otherwise, go through the bag of Mulokhiyah leaves and remove the stems as well as the brown leaves.
  4. 4
    Soak the dried mulokhiyah leaves. Allow the dried mulokhiyah to soak in hot water in a large bowl. Make sure all the leaves are submerged. Soak the leaves for ten minutes and then drain the water out them only one time. Refill the bowl with warm water and lemon juice and soak the leaves for five minutes.
  5. Rinse the leaves a few times and then begin to squeeze all the water out of them by taking a handful of the leaves one at a time. Grab a straining bowl in the sink and place the wrenched-out leaves in them. Repeat this step until all the mulokhiyah is in the straining bowl. The more water you squeeze out of the leaves the faster they will dry in the next step.
  6. Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into a baking dish (Pyrex pan) and then spread the mulokhiyah leaves apart on top. Mix the oil and leaves together and place them in the oven on 400 degrees. After placing them in the oven for ten minutes, stir the leaves so they will evenly dry up and become crispy. Move on to the next step as they stay in the oven for another seven minutes.
    • This step may also be done by deep frying the leaves. However, it is healthier to bake them.
  7. As the pans are still in the oven, dice up the two small onions, garlic, and cilantro. Add them into a large pot with a quarter cup of vegetable oil and sauté them. Be sure to stir them so that they do not overcook. Check on the mulokhiyah leaves in the oven, if they have totally dried up after a total of 17 minutes, remove them from the oven. If they are not dried up yet, keep them in the oven until you complete the next step.
  8. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a separate plate to cool. Using a strainer with fine mesh, strain three cups of chicken broth into the pot with the onions, garlic, and cilantro. The strainer will help to avoid the bay leaves, onions, or scum from pouring into the pot.
  9. If you have not removed the mulokhiyah leaves from the oven yet, this is the time to do so. Place the mulokhiyah leaves into the pot over the onion, garlic, cilantro, and chicken broth. Add a stick of cinnamon bark and tablespoon of salt. This is the time to add the crushed red pepper if you would like.
  10. Shred the boneless breasts, whole chicken, or beef stew meat (depending on what you used) into small chunks in the plate. Then place the shredded boneless breasts (in this case) into the pot. Place the lid over the pot and let them cook for 30 minutes on high heat and stir throughout. As they cook move on the next step of making the Lebanese rice.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Preparing the Rice

  1. Place the rice in a medium size bowl. Soak the rice in hot water for 20 minutes (this step can be completed earlier). Then rinse the rice two times until the color of the water is clear. This way, the cooking time is shortened.
  2. In a medium sized pot, pour three tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium heat. Then add the vermicelli in the pot and stir repeatedly until they are toasted evenly. The vermicelli should turn a golden-brown color. Carefully watch them as they cook and be sure not to burn them as they can quickly burn.
  3. 3
    Add the rice. Add the rice into the pot over the vermicelli. Before you stir them, be sure to add two tablespoons of salt. Stir them until the rice and vermicelli are mixed together. Add four cups of hot water into the pot. If you have any leftover chicken broth, you may pour them into this pot as a substitute for water. Place the lid over the pot and allow them to boil on high heat. As they begin to boil, lower the stove to low heat and allow them to cook for another 25 minutes.
  4. 4
    Serve the mulokhiyah and rice. You are now ready to serve your delicious Lebanese Mulokhiyah dish. Add the rice into the serving plate first and then serve the mulokhiyah on top. Serve the dish with a wedge of lemon. The dish is made to be eaten warm.
  5. A homemade dressing can be made and served on top of the mulokhiyah and rice. It consists of dicing one small white onion and pour freshly squeezed lemon juice over them. Mix the two together and drizzle them over your plate and enjoy!
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/health-benefits-of-molokhia.html

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