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Maftoul
Maftoul: Palestinian hand-rolled bulgur couscous steamed over chicken, onion and chickpea broth
Maftoul means 'rolled', and in Palestinian villages women still sit together in autumn rolling bulgur and flour by hand into pea-sized pearls, drying them in the sun to last the winter. For a family gathering, the maftoul is steamed over a pot of chicken simmering with onions, chickpeas and caraway, then served on a big platter with the chicken on top and the broth in bowls alongside. Bought maftoul or giant couscous is fine. Common mistake: boiling the maftoul like pasta, which makes it gluey; steam it, then moisten with broth. Chef's tip: toss the dry maftoul with oil and spices before steaming so every grain stays separate.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken and broth
For the maftoul
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 3 ½ lb whole chicken in a large pot with 2 litres water, bring to the boil and skim off the foam. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp ground caraway, 1 tsp ground allspice, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
35 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb small onions or shallots and 14 oz cooked chickpeas and simmer for 20 minutes more, until the onions are tender and the chicken reads 165°F by the bone.
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile, rub 1 ⅛ lb maftoul or giant couscous with 4 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp seven-spice (baharat) so every grain is coated.
Step 5: Tip the maftoul into a wide bowl, ladle over 2–3 ladles of broth and leave, covered, for 10 minutes to absorb. It should be tender, separate and moist.
10 minStep 6: Lift the chicken out and brown it briefly under a hot grill if you like. Pile the maftoul on a platter, top with the chicken, onions and chickpeas and serve the broth in bowls.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does maftoul take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of small onions or shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of cooked chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
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