Mansaf

Name: Mansaf
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1.4 kg Bone-In Lamb (Leg), cut into large pieces; 300g Jameed (Dried Fermented Yogurt), soaked and blended; 1.5 l Water, warm (for soaking/blending jameed); 1 large Onions, quartered; 6 pods of Cardamom Pods, lightly crushed; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 1 sticks of Cinnamon Stick; 6 peppercorns of Black Peppercorns; 4 cloves of Cloves; 2 tsp Salt, plus more to taste; 4 cups Basmati Rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes; 2 tbsp Ghee (Samneh); 1 tsp Turmeric, optional; 6 cups Lamb Broth, from the pot; 1 1/2 tsp Salt; 3 large Markook (Shrak) breads; 4 tbsp Ghee (Samneh), warmed, for drizzling and toasting nuts; 1/2 cups Slivered Almonds; 1/2 cups Pine Nuts; 1/4 cups Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped

Mansaf is Jordan’s iconic celebratory dish of tender lamb simmered in a tangy jameed sauce and served over fragrant turmeric rice and torn flatbread, finished with toasted nuts and fresh parsley. Rich, savory, and slightly tangy, this dish combines slow-cooked comfort with bright, crunchy garnish for a show-stopping centerpiece that’s perfect for family feasts.

Mansaf is Jordan’s iconic celebratory dish of tender lamb simmered in a tangy jameed sauce and served over fragrant turmeric rice ... Show more

Traditional Middle Eastern Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

4.0

Time

2 hrs

Price

3,97 €

Calories

1356 kcal

high protein

low sugar

comfort food

holiday/special occasion

Method

Prep the aromatics

Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the side of your knife so they open slightly and release more flavor. Wash, dry, and finely chop the flat-leaf parsley, then set everything aside so it is ready when you need it.

Soak the jameed

Place the jameed in a bowl and pour over the warm water. Let it soak for at least 1 hour, pressing or breaking up any large pieces once or twice as it softens.

Simmer the lamb

Place the bone-in lamb in a large heavy pot and add enough cold water to cover it by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, then add the onion, cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cloves, and salt. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 75-90 minutes, until the lamb is very tender and the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.

Blend the jameed

Transfer the soaked jameed and all of its soaking liquid to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy, with no gritty bits left. Set the mixture aside while the lamb finishes cooking.

Rinse and soak rice

Put the basmati rice in a bowl and rinse it several times under cool water until the water runs almost clear. Cover it with fresh water and let it soak for 20 minutes.

Finish the sauce

Lift the lamb pieces out of the cooking liquid and set them aside. Strain the liquid, discarding the onion, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods, then measure out 6 cups lamb broth for the rice. Pour the blended jameed into a clean pot, add the lamb pieces, and bring it to a very gentle simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes until the sauce tastes mellow and lightly thickened; taste and add more salt if needed. Do not let the sauce boil hard or it can split.

Drain the rice

Drain the soaked rice well and let it sit for a minute so excess water runs off. The drier grains will toast more evenly in the pot.

Cook the rice

Melt the ghee in a pot over medium heat. Stir in the turmeric, if using, then add the drained rice and stir gently for 1-2 minutes so every grain is lightly coated. Pour in the reserved lamb broth and add the remaining salt, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff it gently with a fork.

Toast the nuts

Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add some of the remaining warmed ghee. Add the slivered almonds and cook, stirring often, until they start turning golden, then add the pine nuts and keep stirring until both are fragrant and evenly toasted. Transfer them to a plate right away so they do not continue browning in the hot pan.

Assemble the mansaf

Arrange the Markook bread on a large serving platter, overlapping or tearing it as needed to cover the base. Drizzle lightly with some of the remaining warmed ghee so the bread softens. Spoon the rice over the bread, arrange the lamb on top, and ladle over enough jameed sauce to moisten everything well while keeping some extra sauce for serving. Finish with the toasted nuts and the chopped parsley, and serve hot with more sauce at the table.