Put the lamb and onions in a saucepan, cover with water without stirring and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, covered with a lid. Remove any scum that appears on the surface and keep doing this until no more scum appears. Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the water but keep the water in the pan.
Heat the vegetable oil in a separate pan and shallow fry the aubergine for
3 minutes on each side, then drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
Tip the rice into a bowl, adding the cinnamon, pepper, salt and olive oil and mix well.
Arrange the tomatoes in the base of a deep pan. Scatt er a handful of rice over the tomatoes, layer half the lamb on top, followed by half the aubergine and then top with rice. Repeat this layering again, fi nishing with a layer of rice.
Cover with the reserved lamb cooking water to about 3cm (1¼ inch) over the top and cover with a lid. Add a litt le more water if you don't have enough cooking water. Simmer over a medium-low heat for 30–40 minutes without stirring at all as you want the rice to be tipped out in one piece once cooked, like a cake.
Leave to cool slightly, then place a plate bigger than the pan on top and carefully turn it over to turn out the makloubeh. Sprinkle with the parsley, toasted nuts and serve with yogurt.
Recipe and images extracted from Palestine on a Plate: Memories from my mother’s kitchen by Joudie Kalla, photography by Ria Osbourne, published by Jacqui Small (£25).