With its strategic location in the Middle East, Jordan has been at the crossroads of human migration trails for centuries. Throughout history, Circassians and Armenians, Syrians and Palestinians, nomadic Bedouins from the Arabian Peninsula, and even mysterious Nabateans have called Jordan home. This rich tapestry of cultures is reflected in Jordanian cuisine. Exploring the food that small, yet mightily hospitable Jordan offers is an opportunity to not only taste the flavors of this diverse country but also get a deeper understanding of Jordan’s history and place in the region
1. Mansaf at Kir Heres
A hearty dish of rice and meat, the labor-intensive https://saloncandnailspa.com/ mansaf is the symbol of Jordanian hospitality, considered by most to be Jordan’s national dish. Some origin stories trace mansaf’s roots to thereed, an earlier meal of meat, broth, and bread for nomadic Bedouin people that’s mentioned in both the Qur’an and the Bible. Today, mansaf is a centerpiece of communal dining at weddings, birthdays, and holidays, or simply to welcome an honored guest. Garnished with toasted almonds, pine nuts, and parsley, mansaf is served on a large platter in which a wafer-thin Bedouin flatbread called shraak is topped with rice and lamb shanks that have been slowly stewed in a special jameed broth
2. Maqlubah at Beit Sitti
The classic Palestinian maqlubah is famous throughout the Levant countries of Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. One pot of this beloved centerpiece dish can easily feed dozens during special occasions and celebrations with family and friends. And what’s not to love when layers of rice mixed with shereya dried vermicelli noodles are combined with stewed chicken or lamb, fried vegetables like eggplant and cauliflower, and flavors of turmeric and baharat—a household staple mix of seven spices like cumincardamom, and cloves?
3. Mezze at Fakhreldin
An experience more than a meal, mezze is an array of appetizers served before the main dish, often with a carafe of milky arak, an anise liquor, by its side. In a mezze, you’ll venture beyond hummus to find such staples of Jordanian cuisine as kibbeh (minced raw meat), mutabbal (roasted eggplant and tahini spread), batata harra (spicy roasted potatoes), sambousek (crispy fried dough with za’atar spice and meat), tabbouleh (fresh salad of bulgur and parsley), muhammara (spicy walnuts with olive oil), dawali (stuffed grape leaves), and foul (fava bean spread)
4. Zarb in Wadi Rum
One of the most fascinating experiences you can have in Jordan’s Mars-like desert of Wadi Rum is staying at a traditional Bedouin desert camp. Here, you will most certainly be able to see the preparation of zarb, Bedouin barbecue, roasted for hours in an underground pit
5. Falafel sandwich at Al-Quds Falafel
While the discussion around the provenance of the classic Middle Eastern staple, falafel, tends to get heated, there is one indisputable fact: A falafel sandwich is a favorite lunch-meal-quick-break-fill-me-up item on the streets of Amman. The best, as is often the case with street food, can be found at Al-Quds Falafel, the small, spotless hole-in-a-wall outfit on Amman’s festive Rainbow Street