Traditional Mansaf

Mansaf, considered the national dish of Jordan, is a traditional dish made of lamb, cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur. A specialty of Jordan, it is also a popular dish eaten throughout the Levant.

Ingredients

The ingredients below will accommodate 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

Lamb (shoulder or leg) cut into pieces 2-4 lbs.
Jameed liquid (fermented dried yogurt) for the traditional way. If you don't prefer or can't find Jameed you can also use regular plain yogurt or Ayran (either sheep or cow yogurt works). You can find these in any Middle Eastern or Mediterranean market.
1 and 1/2 Cup of regular rice
1 diced onion
6 cardamoms
6 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1/4 cup of ghee butter or corn oil

Optional to garnish the dish:

Roasted almond
Roasted pine nuts
Chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Put the lamb in a deep pot and cook it in the stove on high heat. In around 10 to 15 minutes a foam and fat will appear at the top of the pot- make sure to take it off and then add 1 tsp of salt and the cardamoms, bay leaves, and onions. Let it cook for 1.5 to 2 hours (to cook the lamb faster you can use a pressure cooker for about 20-25 minutes).

Step 2

Once the lamb is cooked add the Jameed (or the yogurt) to a deep pot and keep mixing it until it boils. Then slowly add the lamb with around 3-4 cups of the lamb broth. Lower the heat.

Step 3

Using another deep pot add around 2 tablespoons of the oil and then add the washed rice to it. Then add the salt, turmeric, and 3 cups of water. Let it cook on a low heat.

Step 4

Recommended to have a flat round pot as it show in the picture- first lay the cooked rice and then add the meat on top. You can add the yogurt sauce to the top or you can serve it in a separate deep bowl as a sauce. Finally you can add the chopped parsley and roasted nuts to garnish the dish.

Now you have a healthy and tasty dish. SaH-teyn (Bon appetite)!

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