The basis of the Jordanian cuisine is the rice, the flat bread, some meat, spices, nuts and the sauce. The sauce is usually a salty sour yogurt called labaneh.
The national dish of Jordan is the Mansaf, that is the arabic flat bread topped with rice, chicken or lamb cooked in a salty goat yogurt (Jameed) with almonds on top.
However, since I became vegetarian, I found several vegan dishes very affordable to eat out, and very easy to cook in home.
It's very easy to find the recipes online. My favorites are:
It's very easy to find the recipes online. My favorites are:
MUTABAL- is a paste of grilled eggplant and tahini, that is eaten with the arabic bread. Delicious!
BABAGANOSH - It's a paste of grilled eggplant mixed with other vegetables.
FUL MEDAMES- Ful is a pure of broad beans to dip the arabic bread.
HUMMUS- It's a very popular chickpea paste that is normally eaten with falafel and arabic bread.
BABAGANOSH - It's a paste of grilled eggplant mixed with other vegetables.
FUL MEDAMES- Ful is a pure of broad beans to dip the arabic bread.
HUMMUS- It's a very popular chickpea paste that is normally eaten with falafel and arabic bread.
Soooo good! Sometimes I dip in raw sticks of carrot, cucumber and others vegetables.
FALAFEL- falafel are deep fried mashed chickpea balls. So Yummi!
FALAFEL SANDWICH - sandwich of falafel, pickles, tomato, cucumber, humus and tahini sauce, wrapped in arabic bread. The ones toasted are the best!
FALAFEL BURGER - hamburger made of falafel and spices with tomato, lettuce and humus sauce in burger bread
MAKDOUS- I love this eggplant stuffed pickle! However I prefer the syrian version cause the jordanian can be very spicy!
MUJADARA- This is rice with lentils topped with caramelized onions. Very nutritious!
FATTOUSH- This is a very light salad of arabic bread and vegetables!
FALAFEL- falafel are deep fried mashed chickpea balls. So Yummi!
FALAFEL SANDWICH - sandwich of falafel, pickles, tomato, cucumber, humus and tahini sauce, wrapped in arabic bread. The ones toasted are the best!
FALAFEL BURGER - hamburger made of falafel and spices with tomato, lettuce and humus sauce in burger bread
MAKDOUS- I love this eggplant stuffed pickle! However I prefer the syrian version cause the jordanian can be very spicy!
MUJADARA- This is rice with lentils topped with caramelized onions. Very nutritious!
FATTOUSH- This is a very light salad of arabic bread and vegetables!
TABOULEH- It's a cold salad of bulgur, parsley and vegetables. Very refreshing! The bulgur can be replaced for couscous or quinoa.
FASOULYA BEYDA- It's kind of a tomato soup with white beans and spices.
KHOBBEIZEH- It's a herb that is cooked with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.
KOUSA MAHSHI- This is stuffed zucchini with rice tomato and vegetables cooked in tomato sauce and spices. Normally this dish is stuffed with minced meat, but you can use just vegetables.
YALANJI- These are rolled grapes leaves stuffed with rice, tomato and vegetables. When ready squeeze lemon juice on top before eat.
LENTIL SOUP - Delicious pureed lentils and browned onions with cumin, olive oil and water. Some also add garlic and pepper.
LENTIL SOUP - Delicious pureed lentils and browned onions with cumin, olive oil and water. Some also add garlic and pepper.
GALAYET BANDORA- It's fried tomato with onion and garlic! That simple and that tasty! Rice or arabic bread are great to go with this food!
TAHINI SALAD - It's a tomato and tahini salad.
TAHINI SALAD - It's a tomato and tahini salad.
SAMOSA- It's deep fried pastry with different fillings, as potato, vegetables, lentils, others. I like to dip the ones filled with vegetables in soya sauce! It works so good for me!!
ZA'TAR MANAKISH- It's roasted arabic bread with olive oil, thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. Very typical. It reminds a pizza.
SWEETS
Awama: They are little cornstarch dough deep fried and covered in sugar syrup. Super sweet!
Warbat: traditional arabic sweet made of layers of phyllo pastry stuffed with cornstarch topped with sugar syrup and pistachios.
Harissa: Semolina cake covered in sugar syrup and topped with pistachios (not vegan, but vegetarian, cause milk can be used)
Halva: This sweet has the consistency of a nougat but softer. It's made with sesame seeds and sugar, then can be added pistachios, cocoa powder and other nuts.
JORDANIAN JUICES - Cane sugar juice, tamarind juice, and mint lemonade are my favorites.
I ate, here, cactus fruit and I found it very interesting!
Awama: They are little cornstarch dough deep fried and covered in sugar syrup. Super sweet!
Warbat: traditional arabic sweet made of layers of phyllo pastry stuffed with cornstarch topped with sugar syrup and pistachios.
Harissa: Semolina cake covered in sugar syrup and topped with pistachios (not vegan, but vegetarian, cause milk can be used)
Halva: This sweet has the consistency of a nougat but softer. It's made with sesame seeds and sugar, then can be added pistachios, cocoa powder and other nuts.
JORDANIAN JUICES - Cane sugar juice, tamarind juice, and mint lemonade are my favorites.
I ate, here, cactus fruit and I found it very interesting!
THE JORDANIAN MEDJOOL DATES - These dates are heaven! It can be found dates bread, dates sweets with nuts, etc.
EATING OUT
- The price on the menu is not the final price. The final price will come, in the bill, with taxes.
- Just a few restaurants will have wine, beer or spirits. Alcoholic beverages are forbidden by the Islam. However, you will easily find several liquor stores in Amman.
- Avoid places where the workers are not wearing gloves, as the arabic people after using the toilet, don't use toilet paper, but tap water and their own hands. And afterward, normally, they just wash their hands with tap water.
I am sure that many use more than tap water to wash their hands, but we have no way of knowing.. and the important is the food safety and health.