In Amman, I live with a host family, and every morning I eat with them before we go to classes and work. My breakfast consists of eggs, meat, cheese, vegetables like cucumber and bell peppers, and halawa (or halva in the US). Halva is a very dense and sweet desert from the Middle East made from sesame paste that is incredibly popular here. It tends to be very dry, but can be more fudge-like with certain added ingredients. If you have not tried halva before I definitely reccommend it!
I have tried a lot of amazing foods here for lunch, too. My favorite is a rice dish with beans that is often served with chicken on top. A lot of the food here is rich in carbohydrates, and most dishes have olive oil mixed in. Olive trees in Jordan thrive because the tree itself does not require much water to grow and Jordan is a very water-scarce country. The lunches in Jordan also often have dips like a sour spinach mix or hummus, which is served with pita bread that are eaten together with your hands. Additionally many meals are served with coffee or tea.
The desserts are also incredible, too! During my program’s tour of the city, we tried Knafeh from a local sweet shop. Knafeh is a dessert similar to baklava, made with a very thin phyllo dough, that comes with a layer of thick sweet cheese, similar to cream cheese, on the bottom. It is often served with pistachios on top, which are very popular in Middle Eastern desserts.
