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EveryMasala

Spices of Amman

Jordan's capital, whose downtown souks sell za'atar, sumac, cardamom coffee spice and baharat.

Amman

Traded and grown here

Za'atarSumacCardamomCumin

Best time: March to May, and September to November.

Amman's downtown, or Balad, has old shops selling za'atar, nuts, sweets and spices. Jordanian cooking is known for mansaf, a dish of lamb, jameed yoghurt and rice, and for za'atar and olive oil on bread.

Vista sobre Ammán
Photo: David Bjorgen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Spices and trade

Za'atar is a mix of dried thyme or related herbs, sumac and sesame. Baharat is a mix of black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, clove and others, varying by shop. Cardamom flavours Arabic coffee.

The place and its people

The population includes Jordanian, Palestinian, Circassian and other communities. Hummus, falafel and knafeh are everyday favourites.

Visiting

Downtown Amman, with its old souks, the Roman Theatre and Rainbow Street, are the main places to explore.

A trail idea for Amman

  1. Downtown souks See za'atar and baharat.
  2. A hummus restaurant Eat breakfast hummus.
  3. Roman Theatre Visit the amphitheatre.
  4. A knafeh shop Try the cheese pastry.
About this page

Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Amman" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.

PartSeedBarkRootFlowerFruitChilliLeafResinBulbStigmaBlendPasteSeasoning
FlavourHot and fieryWarm and sweet-spicedSweet and mellowEarthy and deepCitrus and brightSharp and pungentSmokyFloral and perfumedBitterAnise and liquoriceSour and tartSavoury and umamiNumbing and tinglingHerbal and green
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperSnacks and tea timeDrinksDesserts and sweetsStreet foodPickles and preservesFeasts and banquets

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