While Jordan shares almost all of its culinary tradition with countries like Syria, Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia; the country has one special dish that is absent in the neighboring countries. It is called Mansaf Lamb Shank.
Issa Reyati, a Jordanian chef and owner of Al Basha Restauran in Central Jakarta said that Mansaf is unique because the dish is cooked in jameed, a special yogurt available only in Jordan. He said that only Jordanians or those who lived long enough in Jordan could make the dish.
For breaking the fast, however, Jordanians usually have dates, gamaraldin (apricot juice) and gallab (grape and raisin juice) and followed with Ades soup (lentil soup).
Jordan’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Hassan Dawodieh, said that Ramadan in his country is celebrated with special candies and drinks. One of special drinks is a combination of milk with ground almonds, rose water and alkataef sweets — all of which were only made and consumed during the month.
Dawodieh, however, has his own favorite. “I love spinach with olive oil and cabbage stuffed with rice, ground meat and thyme bread, white cheese and kenafa, and lentil soup and vegetables, green salads,” he said.
Reyati said that Jordanians started their dinner after tarawih prayers, with appetizers like hummus, motabal (mashed eggplant), taboola (finely chopped parsley, mint, and onion) and Arabian mixed salad (tomato, cucumber and lettuce). Jordanians love their zabadi, the type of beverage from plain yogurt.
For the main course, there’s bukhari (rice with lamb), a dish originated in the city of Aqaba. Reyati said that the dish was prepared mostly for special occasion, such as party or wedding, or welcoming friends and neighbors.
The dinner could be closed with qatayeb and awamah, sweet treats available only during Ramadan. “In Jordan, there is a shop that opens only during Ramadan, and they sell only these two cakes. The shop closes for the rest of the year,” Reyati said.
After a month of fasting, Jordanians celebrate Idul Fitri for three days. Dawodieh said that Jordanians started their first day of Idul Fitri by praying and then paying visit first to the King of Jordan, family members and relatives and the sick.
“Here in Indonesia, the Idul Fitri celebration is is different as you have excellent habits such as the Open House. I am thinking of transferring the idea to Jordan when I finish my mission here,” Dawodieh said.
For a taste of Jordanian cuisine, head down to Al Basha restaurant in Jl. Raden Saleh No. 3A Cikini, which also serve other Arabian food. This month, Al Basha is not the only establishment serving Jordanian Mansaf. The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Mega Kuningan also serves the delicacy, prepared by chef Feras Hawa of Doha Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Qatar.
Recipe: Jordanian Mansaf
Ingredients:
5 kilograms lamb shoulder
2 kilograms saffron rice
3 Pieces Arabic pita bread
Mixed Arabic nuts
Jameed (may use yogurt as substitute)
Coriander
Mint leaves
How to Make:
Boil lamb in cinnamon and cardamom seeds and slice onion and clove. After the lamb is cooked, keep the stock. Soak the rice in cool water for 2 hours after sautéing it in the saffron and Arabic ghee. Cook the rice in the lamb stock. After the rice is cooked, separate the rice.
Chop coriander and mint. Make the yogurt sauce (if you can’t find jameed). For yogurt sauce, use 2 kilograms plain yogurt, 1 pack corn flower, chicken stock and saute garlic and coriander.
Put pita bread on the rice. Then put the lamb on the top of the rice and put the yoghurt sauce and coriander mint and mixed nuts on top. (Recipe from Chef Feras Hawa of the Hotel Ritz Carlton Doha, Qatar)
