In last month's Jordanian-themed Kitchen Trotter box, there was a packet of maftoul, a large-grain, wholewheat, hand rolled and sundried couscous from Palestine.
Time to try out the accompanying recipe for Couscous Maftoul.
Maftoul Couscous
ingredients :
5 chicken thighs
250g maftoul
1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1tsp curcuma
1tsp cumin
salt/pepper
250g chickpeas (tinned are fine or dried, but they'll need soaking overnight)
150cl chicken stock (boiling water + 2 stock cubes)
First brown the chicken on all sides and put it in a dish in the oven to keep cooking for 20 minutes. Prepare the chicken stock. Fry the onion in the chicken fat.
Put half of the onion in a separate pot and reserve for the maftoul. Add the chicken to the onions (you may need a bigger pot) and sprinkle over half of the spices, plus some salt and pepper. Pour on half of the chicken stock and half of the chickpeas.
This needs to cook until the sauce has thickened and the juices run clear in the chicken - allow about half an hour.
Fifteen minutes before the chicken is cooked, reheat the onion, add the maftoul and gently fry for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining half of the spices, chickpeas and stock.
Once it's reached almost boiling point, reduce the heat to very low, cover and leave to simmer for 15 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
Serve the maftoul, then the chicken and pour the chickpeas/onions sauce over the top.
I wasn't sure if it was a mistake in the recipe to put the same quantities of chickpeas, curcuma, cumin and stock in both pots. It does work but it would be easier to put all of the chickpeas in the maftoul really. I kept the kids' chicken in the oven rather than cook it in the sauce but I needn't have worried - it wasn't spicy at all.
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I must admit I only just tried couscous last year and I liked it, though the kids aren't keen. This recipe sounds nice though so might make it for myself :) Thanks x
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