A melting pot of immigrants from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt and Syria, Jordanian cuisine bears a subtle influence of each of its residents and is often enjoyed family-style. Here Christians and Muslims co-exist peacefully and they both enjoy the convivial atmosphere of cooking and sharing food with loved ones.
Fresh and local
Until the boost in immigration in the 1940s, the country was self-sufficient and didn't require any produce to be imported. However, thanks to the four seasons, Jordan is still able to sustain year-round agriculture and enjoys a varied larder of carrots, lettuce, dates, olives, tomatoes, bananas, watermelon, etc. so being a locavore is easy.
Fresh Jameed - yoghurt with herbs and spices prepared by bedouins - and herbs are also common additions to their cuisine. This allows the flavours to remain delicate and slow-cooking is often used for dishes that combine meat and vegetables or rice.
Comfort food
Jordanian food is considered healthy because it's prepared with olive oil, fresh vegetables and fruit. Fish is hard to come by so most main meals are based on lamb or chicken accompanied by rice or flat bread.
Mornings are often kicked off with a protein-rich Ka'ak sandwich made of soft bread, slathered with a sesame seed paste and stuffed with either local cheese or boiled egg. Other Middle Eastern specialities like labneh with herbs or foul meddames are also common.
Like Lebanese cuisine, lunch and dinner begin with a round of mezze with freshly baked bread, halloumi cheese, olives and salads like tabbouleh.
Street-side stalls serve grilled kebabs and shawarmas for a bargain in the main cities and around tourist sites like Petra. Maqloobeh (meaning upside down) an inverted Indian-style biryani with meat sitting atop the rice makes a hearty choice and is sold for a reasonable price in smaller eateries.
Juice stalls and coffee shops are ubiquitous throughout the country. For a cooling respite to a warm afternoon try the chilled fresh lemonade churned with mint leaves, which is sometimes served over crushed ice. Although most Jordanians favour sweetened black tea flavoured with sage, cinnamon and cardamom many also indulge in robust Turkish-style coffee with a hint of cardamom.
Traditional treats
A signature dish is Mansaf, lamb cooked in Jameed until tender and served on a bed of rice garnished with toasted pine nuts and almonds, is usually reserved for an occasion like a wedding or funeral. Presented on a common platter, it comes dressed with the goat's head on top, which signifies respect for the guest.
Another must-try is Kunafeh, a dessert of creamy cheese topped with sweetened tangerine coloured semolina, speckled with green pistachios and drizzled with saffron-infused sugar syrup.
Bedouin specialities include Zerb, lamb stuffed with oriental rice, spices and nuts and cooked in an underground clay oven and Taboon, flat bread cooked in ashes soaked in yoghurt and drizzled with local ghee (clarified butter) and honey.
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