Fortunately, but unintentionally, I spent this weekend literally swimming in mansaf. Okay not literally swimming, but you know, it was pretty close.
What is mansaf, you ask? It's a traditional cuisine that Jordanians proudly consider their national dish. While styles of mansaf vary from region to region, it is generally a big ol' plate with a base of flatbread, topped with large-grain rice, sometimes mixed with almonds or pine nuts, which serves as a nest for the most important part--the meat, which is usually lamb or chicken. This mountain of meaty goodness is then doused in a fermented yogurt sauce that is far more delicious than it sounds. Because it is slow-cooked in broth, the meat is ultra tender and slides right off the bone, which come in handy, because traditionally it is eaten without utensils (Get it? Handy. Did you see what I did there?) The name of the dish comes from the Arabic word that literally (actually literally) means "large dish" or "large tray."
The meal is served on special occasions like weddings or birthdays, or in my case to honor guests. This weekend, the members of my program (Diplomacy and Policy Studies) was invited to our director's hometown of Ajloun to tour an ancient castle there, tour her old school, and attempt to play soccer against some of her family members, who also served us mansaf. The following day I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to volunteer at a local primary school. Some other CIEE participants and I helped to repair the wall surrounding the school and spruced up the faded exterior with some bright yellow, blue and green paint. At the end of the end, we were served mansaf in appreciation for our work. Yesterday, my Arabic professor, excited to spread an important part of his Bedouin culture, came to our apartment building and cooked mansaf for our class. The latter was served in a more traditional fashion, with the cooked head of the lamb placed in the center of the dish, jaw open and tongue out. Many were peer pressured into eating eyeballs, brains, lips, tongues. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough to go around for me. Darn.
Mansaf is a part of this culture you definitely need to experience before leaving, but this advice goes without saying because it is--wait for it--literally impossible to be a guest here without being offered mansaf at least once before leaving.