The Bedouins, nomadic tribes of the desert regions, developed unique culinary traditions which date back many centuries, evolving around the challenges of cooking in harsh environments. This results in a distinct culinary culture full of resourcefulness, creativity and deep connection to nature and available resources.

Access to water in the desert is limited and there is scarcity of ingredients. Coping with this, Bedouin tribes have come up with techniques that allow them to create flavourful and nourishing meals, such as underground cooking, using portable stoves, and various other methods.

Bedouin cuisine is known for its simplicity and the use of locally available ingredients. Dates, milk, goat meat, and wheat are staples in their diet. Bedouin bread, known as khubz, is a flatbread cooked on hot stones or in a dome-shaped oven called a taboon. It is a versatile food that complements various dishes and is often shared among family and guests.

Dishes such as Mansaf and Maqluba are staple within traditional Bedouin cuisine. Each is a full meal, rich with flavors, and each Bedouin family specializes in a unique way to prepare it.  Mansaf consists a mountain of rice, laid over a layer of freshly baked pita bread, with cooked & seasoned meat on top, seasonal vegetables on the side, and other add-ons according to the hosting family’s taste. Magluba (“upside down” in Arabic) consists of vegetables and meat, cooked on the bottom of the pot, with a layer of rice above them to absorb the flavors from below. The pot is turned upside down on a round tray when served, creating a mountain of rice with the meat and vegetables on top.

The bedouins are one of the different cultural entities which make Israel and the region to be so unique and diverse. Their famous hospitality and delicious food is a visit worth making.