Jordan’s Food Culture: A Taste of the Middle East

A country located in the Middle East, Jordan is famous for many things. The country boasts about having sites of religious and cultural significance, like the Mount Nebo, the old city of Petra, and the Dead Sea. It’s also home to the most popular landmarks in all of Israel, the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, which are both located in Jerusalem. There’s a lot to see in Jordan, including its rich food culture! Here are a few foods that you have to try when you visit this fascinating place!

The Food in Jordan

Jordanian Cuisine: 16 Traditional Food You Can Find in Jordan - Girl Eat  World

Jordan is a country located in the Middle East and is known for its delicious cuisine. The main course typically consists of chicken or lamb, rice, and vegetables. Jordan also has a variety of drinks, including tea and coffee. The taste of Jordan is truly unique and something that you will not find anywhere else in the world. They have a long history of having an abundance of food so it’s no surprise that they are experts when it comes to preparing delicious dishes.

As far as drinks go, Jordanian people drink both tea and coffee as well as juice from oranges and apples. Jordanian cuisine has such a wide range because there are so many different types of food from all over the world present within their borders which is what makes their food culture so special. You might taste Syrian, Lebanese, or Turkish food when visiting. Not only does this make each dish more interesting but it also creates a more diverse selection on the menu for everyone who visits. Along with main courses consisting of either chicken or lamb served with rice and vegetables, there are plenty of appetizers to choose from at restaurants in Jordan; some examples include Falafel and Kafta (ground beef) served with bread-like pita bread slices or hummus served with traditional Arabic bread called Akoua.

Staple Foods

10 Traditional Jordanian Dishes You Need to Try

One of the first things you’ll notice about Jordan’s food culture is that there are a lot of staples. Rice, bread, and lamb are all common dishes that you’ll find on any Jordanian table. The national dish is mansaf, a dish made with lamb and rice that is often served at special occasions. Other popular dishes include hummus, falafel, and kofta (minced lamb or beef). Rice and beans are a staple in Jordan, as well as in many other Middle Eastern countries. This dish is often served with chicken or lamb and a variety of vegetables. Another popular dish is hummus, which is a dip made from chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. falafel, fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, are also common in Jordan.

In addition to these staples, Jordanians also enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and breads. Dates, figs, almonds, and pistachios are some of the more popular nuts used in recipes. Tabbouleh is a salad made from parsley and tomatoes and green onions and and bulgur wheat. Humus bi tahini is another famous dish that consists of pureed chickpeas with tahini sauce.
I hope this blog post has given you a taste for Jordanian cuisine!

Breakfast

Amman - The Jordanian Breakfast

Jordanians typically start their day with a light breakfast of bread, cheese, olives, and tea. Breakfast is often followed by a heavier meal around 10am that may include falafel, hummus, lamb, and rice. Lunch is usually the largest meal of the day and is eaten around 2pm. It often consists of chicken or lamb, vegetables, and rice or bread.
By 6pm, it’s common for many people to have had just one full meal in the entire day. This has led to heavy eating habits throughout parts of Jordan where even snacks like falafel sandwiches are consumed at all hours of day in large quantities and not necessarily paired with any other food. This has led to problems like obesity across urban areas of Jordan while others complain about feeling hungry throughout most of the day despite consuming three regular meals daily, due to extreme portion sizes . The combination often results in poor nutrition levels among Jordanians . Citizens are now starting to address this issue with awareness campaigns and education on healthy living practices, such as smaller portions and more plant-based diets.

Lunch

Why you should explore Jordan through its food | The Independent | The  Independent

In Jordan, lunch is the biggest meal of the day and is usually eaten around 2:00 p.m. It typically consists of rice or bread, vegetables, and meat. On weekends, lunch might be followed by a nap! When you wake up from your siesta, it’s time for dinner. If you’re not in the mood for dinner, there are still plenty of places to go out at night and have coffee or dessert. The most popular dessert in Jordan is baklava—a sweet pastry made with layers of flaky phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup.

Dessert is often served after coffee or tea and can come in different flavors like pistachio, almond, walnut, hazelnut and more. Baklava can also be found wrapped in paper cones and dipped into ice cream on a stick called baskin robbins which means they may also be called karamekkiya as well. Karamekkiya (baskin robbins) has been enjoyed since the 15th century in Europe and was introduced to the United States during World War II when immigrants began arriving in large numbers. In Jordan, however, this treat dates back to ancient times. They’ve been enjoyed for centuries because they were easy to make and their lightness meant that people could eat without getting too full.

Dinner

Jordanian Food | Main Dishes in Jordan

In Jordan, dinner is typically the largest and most important meal of the day. Families will often gather around the table to enjoy a variety of dishes, including lamb, chicken, rice, and vegetables. Coffee is also a common after-dinner drink. It is customary for guests who are invited over for dinner to be served coffee as well.
People in Jordan typically eat their meals with their hands and use bread as a utensil. Bread (called khobez) is made from whole wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes white flour if they can afford it. They bake it on large metal trays that have hot sand at the bottom so that it cooks evenly on both sides.
The bread can be used to scoop up food or dipped into soup (known as tashreeb). The bread absorbs all of the flavors which makes it an essential part of Jordanian cuisine. The centerpiece of every Jordanian table is muhallabia – fresh-pressed grape juice mixed with a few drops of rosewater and sugar syrup. It symbolizes hospitality and generosity. Muhallabia is traditionally served during Ramadan to break the fast because it satisfies hunger while still being refreshing enough to ward off drowsiness. And this isn’t even half of what goes on during Jordanian dining!

Desserts

Jordanian Food | Jordanian Sweets and Desserts | Tourist Jordan

While most people think of hummus and falafel when they think of Jordanian food, there is so much more to the country’s cuisine. Jordan is home to a variety of delicious desserts, including knafeh, a cheese pastry soaked in sweet syrup; halwa, a sweet jelly made from carrots or semolina; and basbousa, a cake made from semolina flour, yogurt, and coconut. If you’re looking for something sweet to eat while in Jordan, be sure to try one (or all!) of these traditional desserts. You won’t regret it!
Another popular dessert that can be found throughout Egypt, Palestine, Israel, and Lebanon is maamoul cookies.

These small cookies are filled with dates or nuts and drenched in butter before being sprinkled with powdered sugar. In Jordan, we celebrate many different national days. We love celebrating our Independence Day (November 25th) because it marks the date we were granted our independence from Great Britain in 1946. November 28th is Petra Day, which celebrates this ancient city’s historic beauty and importance to tourism. And December 25th? That would be Christmas day! Of course, everyone knows Santa Claus will make an appearance at Christmas time but what you might not know is that children will also receive gifts like books, toys, candy and clothes on this day as well.

Snacks

Jordanian food - Dishes to eat in Jordan - Miortravel | Jordanian food,  Middle eastern recipes, Food dishes

Jordan is home to a variety of snacks that are perfect for any time of day. From hummus and falafel to spiced nuts and seeds, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. And, of course, no visit to Jordan would be complete without trying some of the delicious street food.

Be sure to try some traditional Jordanian dishes during your visit too, such as mansaf (a lamb and rice dish) and kofta (spiced meatballs). For something sweet, order some baklava or kanafeh (a cheese pastry). And don’t forget to wash it all down with a cup of strong Arabic coffee. The most popular drink in Jordan is arguably tea. Mint tea is served both cold and hot, usually on ice in summer months. The most popular brand of mint tea in Jordan comes from the company Al-Sharq Tea Company, which was founded in 1981 by Zakaria Ahmad Sharqawi.
If you’re looking for an authentic cultural experience while visiting Jordan, then you should stop by one of their teahouses where locals gather together to smoke shisha (hookah), drink Turkish coffee and watch football games on TV.
The best place to find shisha bars would be either Amman or Irbid – both cities have plenty of cafes serving this tasty tobacco mixture!

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