Zaytoun #Thisisnotcouscous

DISCOVER MAFTOUL, THE ICONIC ORGANIC PALESTINIAN GIANT COUSCOUS LOVED BY TOP UK CHEFS

#THISISNOTCOUSCOUS

Delicious in salads, risottos and pilafs, the maftoul pearls are skilfully rolled by hand for a satisfying texture and a nutty, moreish flavour.

SHOP MAFTOUL

Photo by Nik Pickard

The month of July signals the end of he wheat has been harvested in Palestine, and now begins the age-long tradition of handrolling bulgur with whole wheat flour and water to produce the iconic Palestinian giant couscous: maftoul. To celebrate this season, we invite you to get creative in the kitchen with this versatile grain: use your own recipes or head over to our social media channels for recipe inspiration.

TO PARTICIPATE:

• Post images of your creations on social media

• Share Zaytoun’s campaign post and recipes

• Tag @ZaytounUK on Facebook and @ Zaytoun_CIC on Instagram and Twitter

• Use the campaign hashtags: #ThisIsNotCouscous #Maftoul

• Look out for recipes and competitions until the end of Organic September #OrganicSeptember

UNIQUE TO PALESTINE

Maftoul is hand-rolled by women who get together after the harvest to crack, hand-roll and dry the large grains in the abundant Palestinian sunshine, just as their grandmothers have done for generations. While other forms of giant couscous are to be found in the Levant, they predominantly use semolina. Zaytoun sources Maftoul made from bulgur wheat, producing a flavour and texture profile that is unique to Palestine. Maftoul is an Arabic word derived from the root “fa-ta-la” which means to roll or to twist. This traditional grain takes time and skill to make yet cooks in just 12 minutes. The resulting ‘bite’ and nutty, earthy flavour of the maftoul pearls make it a delicious alternative to other grains as either a main dish or a hearty accompaniment.

Grown on family owned lands using regenerative farming practices, wheat is key to Palestinian food sovereignty, a source of food security and was the dominant grain in Palestinian kitchens for centuries. For women’s co-operatives in rural Palestine maftoul production provides a sustainable source of income. Bassema Barahmeh, a coordinator at Anza village women’s co-operative, spoke of her pride in her work: “As a Palestinian woman, I transfer these traditions to the next generation of women in order to preserve Palestinian culture and connect them with their heritage, and also to offer them the chance to be future leaders in the community”. The time and skilled artisanship required to create these delicious pearls means that maftoul is a dish traditionally reserved for wedding banquets and special family feasts.

A GREAT TASTE AWARD WINNER

In 2017, Zaytoun’s giant couscous maftoul was awarded a prestigious Great Taste Award. The Great Taste judges commended the high quality, describing it as: “Visually appealing, plump pearls of grain. The aroma is deeply earthy and smells of goodness. On eating, the grains retain a welcome bite…it has a simple but complex flavour and is very, very tasty.”

HOW TO FREESTYLE A MAFTOUL SALAD

Maftoul is a versatile grain and a great way to zhuzh up your summer salads. Simply add some salad leaves and herbs to a bowl of cooked maftoul, pop in some roasted tomatoes, drizzle with dressing and top with grilled haloumi, roast chicken or crispy tofu for a meal full of texture and flavour. Our illustrated guide has lots of suggestions and for more ideas follow the campaign hashtag #ThisIsNotCouscous.