My gastronomic experience in Jordan is getting richer by the day and ultimately peaks in Wadi Rum. On a hot afternoon, we reach the Captain’s Camp, only to be welcomed warmly by the smell of cooking and Bedouin hospitality. I see a Bedouin making shrak (bread), swirling it in the air and dropping it on the hot pot while another skews meats that drip with juices and a large spread of mezze gets finishing touches. Strains of Arabian music plays from the other end of the tent.
I revel in this brilliance as Salah, my guide, announces that I am in for a surprise. Mohammad and Rafaat come forward and lead me to the outer courtyard. With spades in hand, they start digging dramatically, until a sheet of aluminium foil reveals itself, leading to some more. I expect a pot of gold but the final layer discloses a three-tiered tray containing meats, vegetables and rice! One bite and the succulent meats just melt and rice that is done to perfection and garnished with nuts, beats the best of our biryanis. Over multiple helpings, I am explained as to how the zarb is done.
First, the meats are marinated with a ground paste of spices and hung curd for a couple of hours, before they go into the Zarb, where they sit for two and a half hours. The zarb is a Bedouin barbecue — a large pit is dug in the ground and a fire is made. On the blazing charcoal, the rice, meat and vegetables are placed in layers. Then, the pit is covered with foil and sand is piled on top. As the meat cooks, the juices from it drop in to the rice, further enriching it.
After that sumptuous meal, I set out to see Wadi Rum, a stupendous, timeless place. Carved by the weather and winds, the huge monolithic rocks rise up from the desert floor to great heights. When I complain about the oppressive heat, my driver Hasan teaches me to say, “Ana baheb Sahara” in Arabic, meaning “I love Sahara”! As we return from the safari, I take a long ride on the desert sands, where I see me many wonders of Wadi Rum, that takes me on a timeless journey into the past.
