Chicken and Beef Benachin

Cut the chicken into serving pieces and the beef into cubes. Roughly chop 3 of the onions, mince the garlic cloves, and slice the ginger.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring until fragrant and the onions are softened.

Add the chicken and beef pieces to the pot, stirring to coat with oil. Cook until the meat is browned on all sides.

Stir in the tomato purée, fresh tomatoes (roughly chopped), pounded fresh peppers, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Simmer to allow the flavors to develop.

Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until the meat is tender.

While the meat cooks, prepare the vegetables: slice the aubergine lengthwise into quarters, cut the pumpkin into chunks, chop the cabbage into wedges, core the large peppers and halve them, and quarter the bitter tomato. Slice the remaining onion into rings.

Once the meat is tender, arrange the prepared vegetables around and over the meat in the pot, layering them in: place the aubergine, then pumpkin, then cabbage, peppers, bitter tomato, and finally the onion rings on top.

Add the rice (rinsed if preferred) over the vegetables, distributing it evenly. Do not stir—the rice should remain on top to cook in the steam.

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 30–35 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes to allow final absorption. Gently stir with a fork to combine the rice with the meat and vegetables, keeping the layers intact if possible.

Transfer the benachin to a serving platter, presenting the layers of vegetables, meat, and rice together for a striking presentation.