Fragrant Palestinian couscous (Maftoul)

Name: Fragrant Palestinian couscous (Maftoul)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 4 chicken legs (or supremes, if you prefer), skin on (1kg); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¾ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushed; Salt and black pepper; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (350g); 1 tbsp tomato purée; ½ tsp caster sugar; 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices (320g); ½ a butternut squash (400g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks; 1 x 400g tin of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (240g); 8 large cloves of garlic, sliced in half lengthways (25g); 750ml chicken stock; 250g maftoul (or mograbiah or fregola, as an alternative); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped

10 steps

Prep:1hCook:45min

Maftoul is one of the key players in Palestinian cuisine. It’s the centrepiece of whatever table it arrives at, turning a family meal into a feast. It’s big on flavour, great on looks and wonderfully satisfying to eat. Getting ahead: The chicken can be marinated a day ahead (but does not need to be).

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 14:18:35 GMT

Ingredients

4 servings

Chicken

4chicken legs

or supremes, if you prefer, skin on

2 Tbspolive oil

1 ½ tspground cumin

1 tspground coriander

1 tspground cinnamon

¾ tspground turmeric

2 tspfennel seeds

slightly crushed

salt

black pepper

Rice

3 Tbspolive oil

350gonions

medium, each cut into 8 wedges

1 Tbsptomato purée

½ tspcaster sugar

320gcarrots

large, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices

400gbutternut squash

peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks

1 x 400gcooked chickpeas

drained and rinsed

25ggarlic

large, sliced in half lengthways

750mlchicken stock

250gmaftoul

or mograbiah or fregola, as an alternative

2 Tbsplemon juice

5gparsley leaves

roughly chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

Step 2

Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer to an oven dish or tray lined with baking parchment, skin side up.

Step 3

Put the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and fennel seeds into a small bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle just a quarter of this over all the chicken, then roast for 45 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through.

Step 4

While the chicken is in the oven, put the oil for the maftoul into a large pot (about 25 x 12cm), for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onions and 2½ teaspoons of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Step 5

Add the tomato purée and sugar and cook for another minute.

Step 6

Add the carrots and squash and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring a few times, then add the chickpeas, the remaining spice mix, the garlic and stock.

Step 7

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, covered, or until the vegetables are just cooked. Making sure you reserve the stock, strain the vegetables and keep them somewhere warm.

Step 8

Return the broth to the same pot – you should have about 600ml – then add the maftoul and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, or until the maftoul is just cooked.

Step 9

Turn off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes, with the pot still covered. After 10 minutes, fluff up the maftoul with a fork and add the vegetables to the pot, along with the lemon juice and half the parsley.

Step 10

To serve, spoon the maftoul into a large deep serving dish. Top with the chicken, sprinkle over the remaining parsley and serve.