Mansaf

4.80 from 15 votes

Jordanian Cuisine is full of delicious recipes and mansaf is on top of that list. Mansaf is a traditional dish made by layering bread, rice and tender pieces of lamb chunks served along with a special yogurt sauce. A very festive popular dish for special occasions.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time2 hrs 15 mins

Total Time2 hrs 30 mins

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Jordanian, Middle East

Diet: Halal

Servings: servings

Calories: 614kcal

Author: Amira

Ingredients

2 pounds lamb meat preferably bone-in meat
2 Tablespoons ghee , you can use clarified butter too.
1 each onion cut into chunks or sliced
1 each cinnamon stick
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorn

For the rice:

2 Tablespoons ghee
2 cups short grain rice
½ teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste
2½ to 2 ⅔ cups water

For the Jameed sauce:

1 cup yogurt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons ghee
2 cloves garlic minced
1 packet liquid Jameed

For Garnishing:

½ cup toasted almonds
½ bunch parsley chopped

Instructions

Fill a deep pot with enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Add meat and wait for the water to boil again.
Let the meat boil with water for 5 minutes, then take the meat pieces out and dump the water.
In the same pot melt 2 tablespoons of ghee then add onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add the spices, meat cubes and brown for about 5 minutes.
Cover with hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until done. This will probably take about 75 minutes.

Meanwhile make the rice:

In a pot melt ghee and then add the rice. Stir rice until the rice grains are covered with ghee.
Mix in turmeric and salt and then pour in water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until done.

Make the Jameed sauce:

When the meat is done start making the Jameed sauce.
In a large bowl add yogurt and spring with cornstarch. Mix the cornstarch in using a whisk.
Pour in the liquid Jameed (soup starter) and whisk well. Then mix in about 1 ½ cups of the meat broth.
In a pot over medium heat melt ghee and then sauté the garlic for just 30 seconds.
Pour the Jameed mixture whisking everything well and bring to a boil.
Add in the the cooked meat. Taste and season to your liking.
Let everything cook together for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

To assemble the dish:

Right before serving assemble your dish.
On a big platter arrange the bread and then ladle some of the Jameed sauce on top.
Spread the rice over bread and place the cooked lamb meat on top.
Ladle more sauce over and sprinkle the top with toasted almonds and chopped parsley.

Notes

The traditional meat to use is lamb, but you can use beef as well.
If you do not have or can't get the Jameed, you can use a mixture of Greek yogurt and buttermilk or just Greek yogurt to make the sauce.
Jameed usually comes in dry hard balls made from ewe or goat's milk, but the one we have here in the US is the liquid starter.
Short grain rice is traditional to use in the Jordanian Mansaf, but if you do not have it, use any rice you have.
Some people like to cook the meat halfway through then finish it off in the Jameed, others prefer to cook it in the Jameed from the start. I find it is easier to cook the lamb then let it boil in the Jameed sauce later.
Adding garlic to the Jameed is a step I learned from a fried but it is not traditional.
I used 4-5 uncooked tortillas in place of the Shrak bread. Cook the tortillas by quickly pan frying them for about 30-seconds in a non-stick frying pan on your stove top. Traditional Shrak bread is only cooked on one side, to create a doughy texture on one side. You may prefer the same.
Some like to tear the bread into pieces before placing them on the serving plate.
You can also use toasted pine nuts for garnish as well.

Nutrition