With many meals, you'll find side dishes that range from deep-fried meat or vegetable starters, salads, as well as soups. Some common deep-fried starters are sambousek, which is a thin triangular pastry dough that can be filled with cheese, potato or beef, and kibbeh, which is made with bulgur wheat, onions, seasoned meat as well as various spices and herbs. Common salads you might find at a Jordanian dinner table include a a crunchy fattoush with pita chips and a pomegranate molasses dressing, an herb-forward tabbouleh, or a vibrant yogurt-based cucumber mix with mint, garlic and lemon juice. Last but not least, you might come across a variety of hearty shorbat or soups, such as molokhiyeh, which is made with jute plant and has a silky texture when made into a stew, and others that are made from lentils as well as mixed vegetables.
Sweets
Can't forget dessert! If you're looking to have a warm, sweet drink on a cold night after your meal, definitely go for sahlab. It's made with milk, sugar and a thickening agent like cornstarch. It can be topped with crushed pistachios, cinnamon and shredded coconut. Another common treat across the Levant is knafeh, which is a thin pie-like dessert composed of either golden shredded phyllo or crumbled semolina dough that has a layer of soft cheese underneath and is dressed with a simple syrup containing orange blossom or rose water. It is...incredible.
