Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan (with origins traced back to Syria) that plays a key role in all celebrations and festivals in the country. The meat is slowly cooked in fermented, yogurt-like goat's milk called jameed, resulting in a unique dish that is not just a meal, but a social tradition.

Mansaf, an Arabic word for explosion, is commonly offered to guests as a sign of appreciation, value, and respect. It can be made with goat, beef, or chicken meat, where goat signifies the highest level of respect and value, and chicken the least, so beef or chicken is rarely to be seen in Mansaf.

Traditionally, cooked goat's head will be placed in the center and offered to the most important guests at an event. Mansaf is served on a large platter over rice and khubz flatbread, garnished with almonds and pine nuts. Guests eat the dish communally, with their right hand, while the left hand is placed behind their back.

The host must continually cover the rice with cooked yogurt sauce, ensuring that the guests don't complain about lack of hospitality. Mansaf is also significant in resolving conflicts between tribes or families, when the heads of each tribe visit one another, sacrifice a goat to cook the dish, then offer it as an act of peace and respect, eating the dish together as a way of marking the end of a conflict.