One of the most popular posts on my blog remains this one about Middle Eastern breakfast ideas. And since it was declared that Jordan will go back to full lockdown every week from 10 pm on Thursday to 6 am on Saturday in addition to a daily curfew from 10 pm to 6 am, I thought that it would be fun to share a few breakfast ideas in the name of focusing on the positive! If you are stuck at home, you might as well make a beautiful breakfast to enjoy with your loved ones. Am I right?
If you are faring better than us (Which I dearly hope that you are),these ideas also double as brunch ideas, they are great if you enjoy (breakfast for lunch) and they make great snack boards too. You definitely can mix and match between boards to create your own.
Platter #1: A taste of Jerusalem
For many in the Levant, mornings have to start with a warm Jerusalem bagel or kaek bil simsim stuffed with labneh, zaatar or falafel. These sesame adorned beauties are sold on carts all over Amman in early mornings, they are a staple in most bakeries and you just have to try one with a cup of sage infused tea to appreciate their beauty. The name “Jerusalem bagel” or kaek al Qods in Arabic is due to the fact that this bread originates from the old city in Jerusalem and it is sort of part of its identity. Bakeries that are hundreds or years old still make it there to this day
Jerusalem bagels
boiled eggs
Labneh
Grape molasses mixed with tahini (a mix that you just HAVE to try)
Zaatar and olive oil
Green olives
Sliced oranges, cucumbers and tomatoes
Halloumi cheese
I will give you +100 pts if you can guess what the green stuff with the leaves are 😉
Platter #2: for the love of sumac
If you are looking for a way to jazz up your scrambled eggs, look no further! 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 slightly fruity, with sour notes. I know, fruity, sour and eggs don’t usually go together but I promise this combo works! It is actually quite a popular way to enjoy eggs in Palestine
Scrambled eggs with sumac
Zaatar
Dukkah
Olive oil
Jam
Pickled olives
Labneh
Platter 3: M is for Mooneh
The Arabic word for pantry is mooneh which means to store food for future use. The practice of drying and preserving food comes from a time before fridges and freezers. At the time, people needed to find ways to store excess food without it going bad. Being an agricultural community at most. Palestinians dearly valued the products of the land & found creative ways to store them & enjoy them all year long.
The Palestinian pantry is rich & diverse, it contains essentials like grains, spices, herbs, jams, pickles, olives, Nabulsi cheese and olive oil. As a result, you always have a list of pantry items you can use for a colourful and tasty breakfast
Nabulsi cheese
Labneh balls
Makdoos (pickled eggplant stuffed with walnuts and cured in olive oil)
Dukkah
Zaatar
Green olives
Platter 4:You say breakfast, I say hummus
Homemade hummus
Crackers
Carrot and cucumber sticks for dipping
Boiled eggs
Fruit of choice
