Zaytoun Fairtrade Maftoul & Apple Salad

This salad created by award-winning food blogger Claire McDonald teams Zaytoun’s nutty maftoul with almonds and crunchy apple for utter taste satisfaction and a deliciously healthy meal.

Maftoul is a Palestinian speciality – a large grain crafted by hand, with an unusual nutty flavour and firm texture. Using bulgur wheat, wholegrain flour and water, it is hand rolled and naturally dried in the sun. A delicious alternative to couscous and rice.

Palestine’s almond trees lend colour and beauty to the terraced hillsides. Zaytoun’s Fairtrade Om al-Fahem almonds are named after the town where farmer Hassan Asa’ad first planted this particular type of almond tree with its sweet flavoursome nut. Zaytoun’s Fairtrade products helps families to get a guaranteed price for their work and an opportunity to sell their harvest.

Preparation: 20 minutes
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:
Half a red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
450ml vegetable stock
100g Zaytoun Maftoul
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
Small bunch of mint
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Handful of unblanched whole almonds
1 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
1 apple, chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (vegan) or a drizzle of honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put the onion and garlic into a cup with half of the lemon juice – this reduces the strength of their flavours.

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add the maftoul and simmer for 6-8 minutes. While that’s bubbling away, finely chop the parsley and mint and place them in a large bowl.

Toast the cumin and cinnamon in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until it darkens slightly and you can smell the spices. Add this to the herbs mixture.

Put the almonds in the same pan and toast briefly, stirring occasionally until they are a slightly darker brown. Add to the bowl and grate the ginger root straight into the bowl.

Chop the apple, throw into the bowl and then add the remaining lemon juice. Toss everything well and season with salt and pepper. Drain the maftoul thoroughly and add to the salad bowl.

Drain the onion and garlic and add to the salad. Stir in the pomegranate molasses or honey. Serve as a main or as a side dish.

This Fairtrade recipe was created by Claire McDonald for Zaytoun’s 10th anniversary in 2015.

Shop the Zaytoun range and keep an eye out for Fairtrade Fortnight 2023!