This mom, who is from Jordan, loves cooking with authentic Middle Eastern foods. Learn about which foods are common to find in the Middle East and which ingredients to use when cooking. Plus, she shares her kid’s favorite recipes!
What are some unique foods in Jordan that you love?
Living in the middle east -despite everything you hear in the news- has its perks. The middle eastern cuisine is rich in healthy recipes that focus on fruits, vegetables, spices and making the best out of seasonal and fresh ingredients.
Living in Jordan means you get to enjoy four distinct seasons in the year, each with its unique foods. For instance , it is now spring here in Jordan and you get to enjoy a variety of fresh greens and spring fruits and vegetables. Some are enjoyed raw, such as green almonds (These are young almonds in which the outer shell is green , fuzzy and chewy and the inside which later becomes the almonds is soft and gelatinous) they are a real treat with a sprinkle of salt. Other spring specials are enjoyed cooked. Vine leaves which are in season now are traditionally stuffed and rolled then they are cooked with olive oil and lemon juice to make a wonderful meal. Spring is also the time to enjoy green chickpeas which are grilled and enjoyed as a snack.
How do you think the food in Jordan is any different than the food in other countries?
As I mentioned earlier, Jordan gets to enjoy four seasons each year and each has its unique ingredients and recipes. You will see lots of fruits and vegetables being featured in recipes, used in creative ways. For example, in addition to using vegetables in salads and pickles, they are used to make dips, they are stuffed with rice, meat or vegetarian stuffings to make main meals, and they are added to rice dishes to make pilafs. They are also the stars of a variety of vegetarian meals.
Pumpkin and Lentil in Tomato Sauce
As one of the largest producers of olive oil in the area, olive oil is the main cooking oil in Jordan. Herbs, spices, tomato sauce and lemon juice are typical flavors found in Jordan. The cheeses available in Jordan are also unique, they are mostly brined white cheeses such as nabulsi cheese which is the main table cheese here. We also get to enjoy other cheeses common in the middle east such as string cheese, halloumi and labneh.
All the dishes on your site look delicious! What are your favorite recipes that you’ve posted on “Chef in Disguise”?
My favorite dishes are a combination of childhood favorites , which are mainly traditional middle eastern recipes a such as olive oil and seedsbead, maamoul, spinach pastry triangles, and a few new recipes I have learned during this adventure called food blogging such as carrot cake oatmeal, sundried tomato flatbread and mille-feuille dessert.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
What are a few essential Mediterranean or Arabic ingredients that you often use?
Mastic
Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree. One of the earliest uses of mastic was as chewing gum; hence, the name. Mastic-flavored chewing gum is still sold in many Middle Eastern countries. Mastic is used in ice cream, puddings and milk based desserts and drinks and it is key in giving Nabulsicheese its unique flavor. It is also commonly added to baked goods such as maamoul.
Mahlab
Mahlab or mahlepi is an aromatic spice made from the seeds of the St Lucie Cherry. The flavor is similar to a combination of bitter almond and cherry.
Mahlab kernels are light brown in color and they resemble small almonds in shape. Mahlab is used in the middle east to flavor baked goods
Zaatar (Oregano)
Zaatar in arabic is a word that stand for both the herb oregano and the spice mix made with dried oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, salt and ground caraway seeds.
Zaatar the herb is used in salads, flatbread, pastry and hot winter drinks. Zaatar the spice mix is commonly eaten with pita, which is dipped in olive oil and then za’atar. It can also be mixed with olive oil to form a paste, this mixture is then spread on a dough base and baked as a bread, and it produces manakeesh bizaatar (flat bread topped with zaatar). Za’atar can also be used as a spice rub for meat and chicken.
Sumac
Sumac (Soo-mak) is a spice that comes from the berries of the Rhus shrubs. The berries are dried and then ground to give a purplish deep red powder that is sour, slightly fruity and astringent. It is used in the middle eastern cuisine to add a sour, lemony taste to chicken,salads and salad dressings. It is also used as a garnish for different dips and salads.
Cardamon
Cardamom is one of the world’s very ancient spices. Cardamom has a strong, unique spicy-sweet taste, which is slightly aromatic. Cardamom is used in ricedishes. It adds a unique flavor to desserts such as cakes (it pairs beautifully with cinnamon) and cookies. It give Arabic and Turkish coffee its characteristic flavor. Try adding a little to your favorite dough recipe and you will be amazed at how a little spice can transform your baked goods.
What are your kid’s favorite meals that you cook?
Thankfully my kids are not picky eaters. We have a rule at home, try everything at least once. That taught them to keep an open mind when it comes to trying different ingredients and recipes. Some of the recipes that are in our regular rotation are cannelloni, horaaosbao, cauliflower fritter and when they are allowed to indulge in a dessert they usually request strawberry knafetarts.
Strawberry Knafetarts
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Meet the blogger:
My name is Sawsan. I am a mother of two amazing kids, 8 and 4-years-old. I work part time as an orthodontist (don’t be scared, I don’t bite) and I am the author, photographer and stylist behind Chef in disguise.
I started Chef in disguise in February, 2011 as a way to chronicle my journey with cooking, baking and food photography. Being an orthodontist by day and a food explorer by night, I thought “chef in disguise” was an appropriate name. In my blog, I share easy authentic middle eastern recipes along with family favorites from around the globe. You will also find a glimpse of life in Jordan, the culture, and the famous landmarks.
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