Today we’re off to Jordan—a country where Bedouin traditions collide with Levantine cuisine. We’re making three iconic dishes served at every celebration and family feast.
🍖 Mansaf
Jordan’s national dish: fall-off-the-bone lamb braised in fermented jameed yogurt, served on a pillow of rice with nuts. Creamy, spiced, with a gentle tang.
Ingredients:
• Lamb (shoulder or shank) — 1 kg
• Basmati rice — 400 g
• Greek yogurt (10% fat) — 500 g
• Cornstarch — 1 tbsp
• Yellow onion — 2
• Cardamom (whole pods) — 5
• Black peppercorns — 1 tsp
• Bay leaves — 2
• Turmeric — ½ tsp
• Almonds (sliced) — 50 g
• Pine nuts — 30 g
• Butter — 50 g
• Salt — to taste
• Thin lavash or pita — 3-4 sheets
Instructions:
Chop the lamb into 5×5 cm pieces with the bone. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Cover with 2 liters of water, bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Skim off all foam with a slotted spoon—the broth must turn crystal clear.
Slice the onions into thick half-rings. Add to the broth along with crushed cardamom pods, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5–2 hours. The meat is done when it slides off the bone at the press of a fork.
While the meat simmers, prepare the yogurt sauce. Whisk the yogurt until smooth. Dissolve the cornstarch in 50 ml cold water. Pour the slurry into the yogurt, stirring constantly. Ladle 300 ml broth from the meat pot, cool to lukewarm, and gradually whisk into the yogurt.
Transfer the yogurt mixture to a saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 8–10 minutes. The sauce will thicken to the consistency of liquid sour cream. It should never boil hard—just a gentle simmer at the edges. Season with salt.
Rinse the rice in 5–7 changes of water until clear. Boil in salted water with turmeric for 10–12 minutes until al dente—grains soft on the outside, with a slight bite in the center. Drain, rinse with boiling water.
Dry-toast the almonds and pine nuts in a pan until golden and fragrant (3–4 minutes). Stir constantly—they burn in a heartbeat.
Assemble the dish: tear the lavash by hand onto a large platter to form a base. Pile the rice on top, drizzle with 2–3 spoons of yogurt sauce. Arrange the lamb pieces on the summit. Generously pour over the remaining sauce, scatter with nuts and pats of butter. Serve immediately, while piping hot.
💡 Fact: Mansaf is traditionally eaten with the right hand, rolling rice and meat into balls. This dish is the cornerstone of Bedouin hospitality—prepared for weddings and milestone occasions.
🍲 Makloubeh
A showstopping "upside-down" dish—layered rice with vegetables and chicken, flipped onto a platter like a cake. Fragrant, spiced, with a crisp golden crust of eggplant.
Ingredients:
• Chicken thighs — 600 g
• Basmati rice — 400 g
• Eggplants — 2 medium
• Cauliflower — 300 g
• Tomatoes — 2 large
• Yellow onion — 1
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Turmeric — 1 tsp
• Ground cinnamon — ½ tsp
• Ground cardamom — ¼ tsp
• Black pepper — ½ tsp
• Vegetable oil — 100 ml
• Salt — to taste
• Fresh parsley — 1 bunch
• Almonds (sliced) — 30 g
Instructions:
Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Rub with salt, half the turmeric, and black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep skillet over high heat. Sear the thighs for 4–5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
Slice the eggplants into 1 cm rounds. Salt generously on both sides, let sit for 15 minutes—dark liquid will weep out. Rinse, squeeze dry with your hands, pat with paper towels. Fry in 50 ml hot oil for 3 minutes per side until deep golden-brown and tender. Drain on paper towels.
Break the cauliflower into 3–4 cm florets. Fry in the same oil for 5–6 minutes until golden in spots. Slice the tomatoes into 0.5 cm rounds. Thinly slice the onion into half-rings. Crush the garlic with the flat side of a knife.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a heavy-bottomed pot (3–4 liters), layer first: eggplant rounds, covering the bottom completely. Next, tomatoes, then onions, cauliflower. Place the seared chicken on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon, cardamom, and the remaining turmeric.
Spread the rinsed rice evenly over the chicken. Pour in boiling water until it covers the rice by 1.5 cm (about 600 ml). Add the crushed garlic, salt (1.5 tsp). Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered.
Once the water boils vigorously and the level drops to the rice (5–7 minutes), reduce heat to low. Cover the pot, wrap the lid with a towel for a tight seal. Simmer for 25–30 minutes. The rice is done when the grains are fully tender and all liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat, let rest covered for 5 minutes. Toast the almonds until golden. Run a knife around the pot’s edge. Cover with a large flat platter, flip in one confident motion. Lift the pot—behold the layered "cake" with golden eggplant on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and almonds.
💡 Fact: The name makloubeh literally means "upside-down" in Arabic. This dish is made across the Levant, but Jordan’s version with cauliflower is considered the classic.
🍰 Knafeh
The legendary Levantine dessert: crisp kadaif pastry threads with a creamy cheese filling, drenched in sweet syrup and sprinkled with pistachios. A textural masterpiece—sweet, salty, crunchy, and tender all at once.
Ingredients:
For the dessert:
• Kadaif dough (shredded phyllo) — 400 g
• Mozzarella cheese — 250 g
• Ricotta cheese — 250 g
• Clarified butter — 150 g
• Pistachios (shelled, chopped) — 50 g
For the syrup:
• Sugar — 300 g
• Water — 200 ml
• Lemon juice — 1 tbsp
• Rose water — 1 tsp
• Orange zest — 1 strip
Instructions:
Start with the syrup: combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Add the orange zest (use a peeler to cut a wide strip, avoiding the bitter white pith). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 8–10 minutes without stirring until slightly thickened—the syrup should coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the lemon juice and rose water. Remove from heat, discard the zest, cool to room temperature.
Grate the mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater. Mix with ricotta in a bowl until uniform. If the mixture is too wet, squeeze through cheesecloth—excess liquid will make the dessert soggy. The cheese filling should be pliable but not runny.
Remove the kadaif dough from its packaging (it’s usually frozen—thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes). Tease the strands apart with your fingers, fluffing them in a large bowl. Pour the warm clarified butter over the dough, mixing thoroughly with your hands to coat every strand evenly.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 24–26 cm round pan (preferably with a removable bottom). Press half the buttered kadaif dough into the bottom and up the sides, forming a 1.5 cm-thick "nest." Pack it down firmly with your hands for an even layer.
Spread the cheese filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border. Smooth with a spatula. Cover with the remaining kadaif, pressing down to seal the edges of the top and bottom layers together.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until deep golden-brown. The top should be crisp, the edges dark gold. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil. Doneness is judged by color and the aroma of caramelized butter.
Remove from the oven. Immediately, while the knafeh is still hot, drizzle the cold syrup evenly over the top—it should sizzle on contact. Let the syrup absorb for 2–3 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes. Flip onto a serving platter (the bottom will become the top, extra crispy). Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve warm, slicing like a cake.
💡 Fact: Knafeh is a point of pride—and rivalry—between Levantine cities. In Amman, it’s traditionally made with nabulsi cheese, but mozzarella and ricotta are a widely available alternative that delivers the authentic texture.