Merchant sets up one of the multitude of produce stalls at Amman Souk
coffee is considered an insult. Tea arrived later with the rise of the British Empire in the 19th century and is a staple today in Jordan. Think Lawrence sitting across from Prince Faisal. Tea would be served. Today it is served well-spiced with thyme, cardamom pods, cinnamon, sometimes mint and sweetened with honey. You will be served hot, not iced, tea in almost any Jordanian home or restaurant. A great place to sample some of these sweet treats is Habiba Sweet, an alleyway restaurant in Amman. Choose their delectable pastry known as knafeh. Don’t let the decor or location fool you. King Hussein and his family eat there. In Petra, a visit to Petra Kitchen, across the street from the archaeological site, is
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a unique opportunity to learn to prepare the traditional Middle Eastern recipes that make Jordan’s cuisine so unique. It’s not a restaurant, more like an international cooking school condensed into one lesson. The head chef and instructor, Tariq Alnawafleh, sets up the tables and shows you how to roast the eggplant and chop the onions, peppers, parsley and other vegetables used to prepare baba ghanoush, the traditional pureed roasted eggplant dish mixed with finely chopped tomato, pepper and onion and flavored with ground garlic, olive oil, lemon juice. From lentil soup and mezzas, what we would consider salads and appetizers, through the main dish kabsah dijaj, chicken with rice prepared in one large
WINTER 2016/17
black pot, you learn the traditions and skills needed to create a Jordanian feast. Some of the dishes such as the kabsah dajaj require a lot of care. Each ingredient has to be added just at the right time to make the magic happen. It takes a very skillful hand to be able to successfully invert the contents into the serving dish without dumping it on the table. Others such as fatoosh, a cucumber and tomato salad, and the Bedouin pizza called araies lahma are fairly simple and easily recreated at home. Wherever you travel in Jordan, you will be offered food linked with the country’s history and traditions. It’s a culinary journey through time.