Maftoul

Maftoul is a Palestinian version of couscous, hence often referred to as Palestinian couscous. It is made by manually rolling moistened, sun-dried bulgur with wheat flour until slightly uneven balls are formed. The bulgur grains are then steamed and dried, and they can be used in a similar way as couscous or other pasta varieties.

Although it resembles couscous, maftoul differs from the North African version not only in the ingredients used for its preparation, but also in size, color, texture, and flavor of the grains. Maftoul grains are larger, firmer, and slightly darker than those of couscous, while the flavor is richer and nuttier.

The term maftoul may also be used to refer to a variety of specialties made with the hand-rolled pasta grains. Maftoul is often served as a side dish, although it can also be combined with meat, vegetables, chickpeas, or lentils and enjoyed as a main dish.