Palestinian Cuisine

Palestinian cooking rests on three things that come from the land itself: olive oil, sumac and wild za'atar. These are not additions — they are the foundation.

Musakhan

Musakhan is the Palestinian national dish: chicken seasoned heavily with sumac over onions cooked slowly in olive oil, all of it on taboon bread. The quantity of sumac and olive oil shocks anyone making it for the first time — but that is the recipe.

Maqluba

Maqluba is layers of chicken or meat, fried vegetables and rice, turned upside down onto the platter at the table. The moment the pot is flipped is half the pleasure of the dish.

Maftoul

Maftoul is Palestinian couscous, with a larger grain rolled by hand, served with chickpeas, chicken and a rich broth.

Olive oil

The olive harvest in Palestine is a social occasion rather than merely agricultural work, and the fresh pressing is eaten simply, dipped with za'atar and bread — the simplest and best-known Palestinian breakfast.