Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Jordan

Jordan’s food is built around bedouin hospitality cuisine centered on lamb, fermented dried yogurt and communal rice platters. Look for Mansaf (lamb cooked in jameed yogurt over shrak and rice; eaten communally), Maqluba (flipped rice-vegetable-chicken pot, Friday family centerpiece) and Zarb (bedouin lamb and vegetables slow-roasted in underground sand oven). Jordan’s national dish of lamb in jameed sauce over shrak bread; UNESCO inscribed the mansaf banquet tradition in 2022. This atlas has 33 Jordan dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

33 dishes.

Arabic coffeeArabic coffeecardamom and saffron coffee served in tiny cups with datesArakArakAniseed grape spirit poured with water and ice until it turns cloudy.AwamehAwamehcrisp fried dough balls rolled in syrup and sesameFalafelFalafelfried chickpea balls in pita with salads, tahini and ambaFul medamesFul medamesStewed fava beans mashed with oil, cumin and chilli, scooped with breadGalayet bandoraGalayet bandoratomatoes stewed with olive oil, garlic and chili, scooped with breadHummusHummuswarm chickpea-tahini plates wiped with pita; hummusiot debate toppingsJameedJameeddried goat-yoghurt balls reconstituted into mansaf sauce; Karak's finestJordanian wineJordanian winereds and whites grown on the northern basalt highlands near MafraqKafta bil tahiniKafta bil tahiniminced lamb and sliced potato baked under a lemony tahini sauceKnafehKnafehsyrupy cheese pastry with crunchy topping, sold by the slabLabnehLabnehstrained yoghurt eaten with olive oil, za'atar and cucumber at breakfastMaamoulMaamoulButtery semolina cookies pressed in wooden moulds around date, walnut or pistachio.MakmouraMakmouralayered dough pie packed with onions, sumac and chicken, from AjlounMalfoufMalfoufCabbage leaves rolled thin around rice and meat, cooked with garlic and lemon.MansafMansaflamb cooked in jameed yoghurt over shrak and rice; eaten communallyMaqlubaMaqlubaflipped rice-vegetable-chicken pot, Friday family centerpieceMaramiya teaMaramiya teablack tea steeped with wild sage and sweetened heavilyMedjool datesMedjool dateslarge soft caramel-sweet dates grown in the Jordan ValleyMkhallalMkhallalBrined cucumbers, turnips, olives and chillies set on the table with every meal.MutabbalMutabbalsmoked aubergine whipped with tahini, yoghurt and lemonQamar al-dinQamar al-dinApricot leather dissolved into a thick sweet juice, drunk to break the fast.RashoofRashooflentil and bulgur soup enriched with dried jameed yoghurtSahlabSahlabwarm thickened milk drink topped with cinnamon, coconut and nutsShaabiyatShaabiyatTriangles of crisp filo filled with ashta cream and drowned in syrup.ShaninehShaninehsalted buttermilk drink shaken with ice, served with heavy mealsShawarmaShawarmaStacked marinated meat shaved from a vertical spit into thin bread with garlic sauce.Shish barakShish barakmeat dumplings simmered in hot yoghurt sauceShorbat freekehShorbat freekehsmoked green wheat soup with chicken; Ramadan stapleShrakShrakpaper-thin Bedouin bread baked on domed saj griddleSousSousBitter-sweet liquorice root infusion served ice cold and foaming.ZaatarZaatarDried wild thyme mixed with sumac and sesame, eaten with oil and bread.ZarbZarbBedouin lamb and vegetables slow-roasted in underground sand oven

  • Arak

    Aniseed grape spirit poured with water and ice until it turns cloudy. A wine & spirit recipe from Jordan.

  • Awameh

    Crisp fried dough balls rolled in syrup and sesame. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min cooking. About 40…

  • Ful medames

    Stewed fava beans mashed with oil, cumin and chilli, scooped with bread. Ready in 15 min prep and Overnight soak…

  • Galayet bandora

    Tomatoes stewed with olive oil, garlic and chili, scooped with bread. Ready in 10 min prep and 25 min cooking.…

  • Jameed

    Dried goat-yoghurt balls reconstituted into mansaf sauce; Karak’s finest. Ready in 12 hr soaking prep and 1 hr cooking. Sauce…

  • Jordanian wine

    Reds and whites grown on the northern basalt highlands near Mafraq. A wine & spirit recipe from Jordan.

  • Kafta bil tahini

    Minced lamb and sliced potato baked under a lemony tahini sauce. Ready in 35 minutes prep and 1 hour cooking.…

  • Labneh

    Strained yoghurt eaten with olive oil, za’atar and cucumber at breakfast. 10 min to prepare. Makes about 500 g from…

  • Maamoul

    Buttery semolina cookies pressed in wooden moulds around date, walnut or pistachio. Ready in 1 hr prep and 25 min…

  • Makmoura

    Layered dough pie packed with onions, sumac and chicken, from Ajloun. Ready in 1 hr prep and 1 hr 30…