Cow Ghee

Samneh baladi is the backbone of a Jordanian kitchen. A spoonful stirred through rice just before serving gives it the aroma that tells everyone at the table what is coming. It holds up to high heat without burning, so it is what you reach for to sear meat, soften onions, or start a pot of maqluba.

In baking it does what no other fat quite does — it makes ma’amoul tender and gives knafeh its depth. Many families keep a jar beside the stove and simply cook everything in it.

If this is your first jar, cooking with samneh baladi covers what it does that oil and butter cannot, and why Jordanian kitchens cook with it explains where the habit comes from.