Tourists love Jordan for several reasons. Firstly, the beaches and coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba allow you to dive for several days in the summer, even in the January frosts. Secondly, the Dead Sea provides travelers with amazing opportunities for relaxation and wellness. And finally, the ancient city of Petra is still fraught with many mysteries, and therefore included in the new list of the Seven Wonders of the World.
As well as lovers of historical sights, gourmets are looking forward to tours to the Kingdom of Jordan with no less impatience, because the local cuisine is well known to fans of Arab culinary traditions. The answer to the question of what to try in Jordan is quickly found by both sweet tooth and lovers of solid meat snacks, and the menu of any restaurant or cafe contains a variety of dishes for any occasion and company.
Jordanian culinary traditions are generally very similar to Arab ones, and Jordanian cuisine is markedly reminiscent of Lebanese or Palestinian. In the kingdom, they love to cook meat dishes, preferring mutton from all types of meat. Legumes, various vegetables, rice, dairy products, as well as nuts, honey, dried fruits and coffee are in high esteem among Jordanian housewives.
Jordanian cuisine is a real example of oriental generosity and hospitality: the portions are large, the quality of the food is excellent, and the serving of the dishes served in restaurants looks European-elegant, even though you are in the Middle East. Before the main meal, the guest is certainly brought a variety of portioned snacks - pickled vegetables prepared using herbs and nuts, all kinds of sauces and freshly baked flat cakes. Regardless of the status of the institution in which you decide to have lunch or dinner, you are guaranteed substantial portions, high-quality performance and the constant respect and attention of the staff.
Top 10 Jordanian dishes
Falafel
It is believed that the Egyptian Copts were the first to start cooking "falafel", replacing meat with chickpea balls during religious fasts. The dish was then brought to Lebanon, and from there the recipe spread throughout the Middle East. It is often referred to as fast food, but Arab cuisine is so wonderful that its masters can turn any fast food dish into a culinary masterpiece.
Falafel is prepared in many countries, but in Jordan its recipe differs significantly from Israeli, Lebanese or Tunisian. The kingdom's chefs prefer to add more greens to the chickpea mass - cilantro, parsley and mint. This makes the "falafel" especially juicy and aromatic, the texture inside the ball remains airy, and the crust on the outside remains crispy. As a sauce for deep-fried chickpea balls, add "hummus" - another fantastic dish that is definitely worth trying in Jordan. Falafel is often served wrapped in pita, an unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour.
Shish kebab
Popular in Arab countries, "kebabs" in Jordan have a special look. Before placing the minced meat on skewers, meatballs are formed from it and the "shish kebab" takes on a slightly "wavy" appearance. It is generously seasoned and fried over charcoal, and served with a huge portion of fresh herbs and a spicy sauce made from tomatoes. The dish is accompanied by flat cakes made from unleavened dough - pita, and often sheep cheese such as feta cheese is also added.
Sometimes Jordanian "shish kebab" is not minced meatballs, but whole pieces of meat, skewered with chopped vegetables - eggplant, peppers and onions.
Zarb
This dish was historically prepared by Jordanian nomads, and the Bedouin barbecue can be considered the hallmark of the kingdom's national cuisine. Not all restaurants in Jordan prepare it in accordance with traditions, but if you are lucky enough to get into such an establishment, be sure to order "zarb".
Jordanian barbecue is done in a special pit with coals, where a metal dish with meat and vegetables is placed. A makeshift oven is covered with carpets on top, and the meat is cooked in it for several hours. This method allowed the Bedouins to save firewood, and the wind in the desert could not blow out the coals. Lamb, commonly used in zarb, is especially juicy and soft, and when serving Jordanian barbecue, spices and fresh herbs are added to the plates.
Mansaf
Lamb stewed on the fire is another specialty of Jordanian chefs. The secret of the recipe lies in the use of a special ingredient that requires a separate story. Hard yogurt made from sheep or goat milk, called “jamiid”, is involved in the preparation of "mansafa". The milk is fermented and then fermented for several days. At each stage, all new portions of salt are added to the milk until the product hardens. So the Bedouins could store the resulting yoghurt during their wanderings without using the refrigerator. Jamiid is added to the lamb and the two are simmered together for several hours.
Served "mansaf" with rice. The side dish is also not too simple: sprinkle the rice with toasted salted nuts.
Shawarma
There are a great many variations of this meat dish of Jordanian cuisine in the world. In the kingdom, "shawarma" is made from chicken or lamb, wrapping the prepared meat in unleavened pita bread and seasoning it with onion rings, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Shawarma is ideal for a snack on the go, although there are restaurants in Jordan that specialize in making it. In such places, “meze” appetizers, various sauces and pickled vegetables are served to “shawarma”.
Meze
Speaking of meze, it is worth noting that a traditional set of snacks in Jordan may well be enough for a full lunch or dinner. Meze usually contains more than a dozen different dishes served in small portions before the main hot one.
Meze sets in Jordan usually include falafel and a special Arabic salad with tomatoes and onions, an eggplant paste called baba ghanoush, and olives, pickled cucumbers and tortillas.
Shorobit Adas
The sheer number of legume recipes is a hallmark of Jordanian cuisine, and the top dishes on this list rank prominently. Thick, rich and very hearty lentil soup is called here "Shorobit Adas". The soup is prepared for several hours: first, the lentils are soaked, then simmered for a long time over low heat in a thick-walled bowl, adding various spices and herbs to the dish. There are at least two cooking options for Shorobit Adas - with lamb and without meat. In both cases, the soup turns out to be very thick and more like porridge.
The favorite Jordanian lentil soup with pita bread, finely chopped herbs, red pepper is served, and olive oil and hard yogurt "jamid" made from sheep or goat milk are often added to the table.
Maklyube
Pilaf in Arabic or "maklyuba" is a very common dish in Jordan. It is often served on the table at large family dinners, but in a restaurant or cafe, a tourist can always count on a portion of aromatic rice with meat, vegetables, spices and seasonings.
The peculiarity of "maklyube" is not in its preparation, but in its serving. Initially, the cook prepares pilaf in an almost traditional way, but adds many different vegetables to rice and meat. The recipe contains eggplants, potatoes and even cabbage. Ready pilaf is served by turning the pan in which it was cooked onto a large dish. "Maklyube" has the shape of a dome, the top of which is gilded by tomatoes and eggplants fried in oil. Jordanian pilaf is served with fresh vegetable salads, sprinkled with lemon juice and garnished with herbs. Tahini and sheep yoghurt with mint are used as sauces.
Muhiya
The Jordanian dish "mluhiya" is made from chicken or rabbit with the addition of garlic and a special herb that gives the name to the recipe. "Mluhiya" is the same jute from which hemp is made, but in Jordan the leaves of this plant are used for food.
The cooking process begins with crushing the young leaves of the "mucha". This work takes many hours, because the leaves must be very finely chopped. In this case, it is important to use only a special knife - no blenders or meat grinders. The aromatic mass is added to the meat, which is stewed in the leaves and acquires a characteristic taste and color. Rice is served as a side dish, and lemon juice is poured over the dish as a piquant accent.
Muhallebi
Jordanian rice pudding is another dish that has its own variations of preparation in other countries in the Middle East. Jordanian cuisine has many recipes for sweets and desserts, but muhallebi is a special dish. It is prepared for weddings and family holidays, it is especially loved by women who gather for gatherings with their company.
The pudding is made with rice flour, starch, almonds, cinnamon and fruit marmalade. The recipe also uses rose or orange water. The basis of the dish is hot milk, which is mixed with flour, finely crushed nuts, starch and powdered sugar. "Mukhallebi" is cooked over low heat for about half an hour, after which it is laid out in bowls, adding pieces of fruit marmalade to the finished mass.
A special emphasis on serving is cinnamon and mint leaves, but in restaurants in Jordan you can find "muhallebi" sprinkled with fruit syrup or honey.
