The Jordanian national dish: Every country has a dish that is famous for it and has its own rituals and customs. Many people search for the national dish that Jordan is famous for and want to know what this dish is and what its ingredients are.

The national dish of Jordan is also called the master of the Jordanian table, as there is no table, whether in restaurants, hotels, or homes, that does not contain this dish, which is characterized by many ingredients with a distinctive taste.

To learn about this dish and its ingredients, you can follow this article to learn everything you want to know about this dish. If you are interested in this field, you can follow the article until the end and you will get what you are looking for in the end.

Jordanian national dish

Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan, and its origins are linked to ancient war and historical development. It has survived thousands of years in Jordan and is considered a symbol of authenticity and hospitality. It is the favorite dish of Jordanians. It is also considered one of the most famous dishes of the holy month of Ramadan.

Mansaf, which is called the master of the Jordanian table, is cooked with local sheep meat with jameed balls prepared with local sheep milk and local ghee with rice, almonds and pine nuts for garnish. Ashraf Mubaidin, who owns with his friend Tamer Al-Majali the Mansaf Moab restaurant, explained that mansaf is a famous dish in more than one country, but Its origin is Jordan and it is considered the most delicious.

He attributed the ancient lineage of the Kingdom of Moab to a report by Agence France-Presse, and he also added that 

The restaurant serves popular Jordanian dishes, including mansaf, fatit, which is bread with milk, bread, which is cooked crushed wheat, and lazagiyat, which is sweets.

The origin of the Jordanian national dish

Mansaf is historically linked to Jordan through an incident narrated about King Mesha, one of the kings of the Kingdom of Moab, which was established in the 13th century BC and lasted until the 4th century BC. Its borders extended along the eastern coast of the Dead Sea from the north of the city of Karak and is 118 km south of Amman. Shobak, 205 km south of Amman.

The center of King Mesha’s rule was in Karak, and he knew that the Jews did not eat meat cooked with milk in accordance with their law derived from the Torah. He wanted to test the loyalty of his Moabite people by war against the Hebrews in Maarat, located in the 9th century BC.

He asked the people to cook the meat with milk, and the people responded to his request, and in doing so, according to the method of destroying what was mentioned in the Torah, and from this period this food was called Mansaf.

Some other Jordanian dishes

There are many dishes that Jordan is famous for, in addition to the Jordanian national dish, which is mansaf, or what is called the master of the Jordanian table. Among the most important of these other dishes are:

Upside down

Maqluba is also one of the main dishes cooked in Jordan. It is made by placing chicken or meat, rice and special spices, with fried vegetables in one pot. When it is cooked, it is turned over onto a large plate until the rice is on the bottom and the meat or chicken is on top, and it appears in the form of a cake of The cake is then decorated with fried almonds or pine nuts.

Al-Rashuf

Rashof is one of the dishes that is linked to Jordanian culture and is cooked plain in surplus milk from mansaf, which is the Jordanian national dish, where the milk itself is added to a mixture of groats, lentils, wheat, or one of them, and then cooked over medium heat.

It is served alongside vegetables and pickles. It is worth noting that rashof is a useful dish as it contains a very high percentage of fiber and protein.

Molokhiya

It is also considered one of the main dishes in Jordan, which appeared since the Pharaonic era in Egypt, and at that time it was called royalty, meaning that it was food for kings, but it was cooked in Jordan in different ways. It consists of an herb that is cut from the ground and then chopped until it becomes smooth.

It is then cooked until it is sticky and served alongside rice, chicken or meat, with lemon squeezed over it, in addition to a spoonful of chili seasoning for those who like spicy food.

Al-Makmoura

Makmurah is considered one of the traditional Jordanian dishes, along with the Jordanian national dish. It means buried, meaning that it is cooked by burying the chicken and onions between many layers of the special Makmurah dough. It is distinguished by the abundance of olive oil used to cook it, then it is placed in the oven, cooked and served as a cake.

Grape leaves

Grape leaves are considered one of the favorite dishes of many citizens of Jordan. They are prepared by wrapping grape leaves with a special filling of meat and rice. They are then cooked in a large pot until they are tender. Some people serve meat at the bottom, while others add stuffed vegetables, including eggplant and zucchini.

Al-Mujaddara

Mujaddara is a dish full of proteins and easy to prepare. Rice and lentils are cooked together, then spices, including cumin, are added to them. Then the onions are prepared by frying them in oil until they become crispy and reddish and served alongside it. Mujaddara is also served alongside salad, yogurt salad, or both together.

Falafel

Falafel is one of the snacks that are usually eaten for breakfast. This meal consists of ground chickpeas with spices. They are ground together and formed into balls. The balls are then fried in oil. Falafel is usually served inside a sandwich of tahini sauce or hummus, in addition to vegetables, including Cucumbers or tomatoes. Falafel is usually sold in street food stalls or specialized falafel shops.

Restaurants serving the Jordanian national dish

There are many restaurants that serve mansaf, and it is considered one of the most famous and well-known restaurants in Jordan, which is characterized by serving the most delicious Jordanian mansaf dish in the region. Restaurants are spread throughout Jordan to make it easier for citizens to choose between them. The most important of these restaurants are:

Jaffa Restaurant

It is a restaurant located in the city of Fujairah that specializes in preparing Arabic cuisine, especially Jordanian mansaf, which is prepared according to the rules and using the finest ingredients, the most important of which is Jordanian jameed or fresh local meat.

Mansaf can be ordered as an individual meal or in sufficient quantities for large banquets. Other dishes that the restaurant features are maqluba, musakhan, and many Arab and Gulf dishes.

Al Liwan Restaurant

You can taste mansaf, which is the original Jordanian national dish, in this restaurant, which is considered one of the most famous restaurants serving mansaf in the city of Fujairah, which is prepared using the finest types of jameed and fresh meat.

The restaurant offers a lot of Arabic food, the taste of which is unforgettable. These dishes include seafood, grills, bananas, lamb, and many other dishes. It should be noted that the restaurant also provides individual meals and family meals, in addition to the restaurant’s ability to cater special occasions and banquets.

Al-Numan Restaurant

If we talk about the best restaurant that serves the Jordanian Mansaf dish, we must mention Al-Numan Restaurant and Cafeteria, which is the first choice for those who want to eat the most delicious Arabic food, fish and grills, as it has a team of chefs capable of preparing food using traditional methods and among the most famous Mansaf dishes, and the chefs are keen to use the finest types of jameed and meat. Fresh and local lamb.

In the end, the Jordanian national dish is considered one of the indispensable dishes on all occasions or different dishes, and it is called the master of the Jordanian table.