Mansef - Meal of Champions

Four families and the short-term team all gathered as one last night. We sat around the floor around two classic and coveted Arab dishes, called Mansef. Since I arrived in Jordan, I have been hearing about Mansef all the time. It is a huge dish served at big celebration meals like Weddings and graduations. So last night, one of the ladies prepared Mansef for us and we made a party out of the deal. Mansef is served on a huge platter and you can only use your right hand to eat it. This is the best excuse to just be dirty. It is served on a base layer of bread, followed by rice, then covered with either Chicken or Lamb (traditionally Lamb). Then you pour this special sauce on it to make it soupy. So to eat it, you grab a grip of the stuff into the palm of your hand and work it around it a special way till it forms a ball. Then you use the outside of your thumb to pop it into your mouth. 

Might sound easy, but this is where the true foreigners are separated out, turns out I am still a foreigner. Me and three Arab guys were the primary devourers of our dish and when all was done only the part in front of me was still left. But I left satisfied and dirty as can be. After the meal we washed it down with some drinks, as you do not drink during the meal. Then we had brownies and ice-cream.

After we played some serious Wii boxing, where I was dominated by multiple children under 10. We also busted out the Wii Fit, which was absolutely hilarious. And finally, the young guys put together a band and put together some songs for the people. Great night, finished with a game of seven stones in the tiny backyard. Miss you all, cannot wait to see you.