Mansaf

About This Recipe

Mansaf is not merely a meal; it is the centrepiece of Jordanian hospitality. The word itself means 'large tray', and the dish is always served on a grand communal platter. At its heart is jameed — a hard, salted, dried yogurt made from goat's or sheep's milk — which is rehydrated and simmered into a rich, tangy golden sauce. Lamb pieces are braised in this sauce until fall-from-the-bone tender, then plated over layers of thin flatbread (shraak) and saffron-tinted rice. The dish is garnished with fried nuts, parsley, and a ladle of extra jameed sauce poured tableside. Tradition dictates that Mansaf is eaten standing around the tray, using only the right hand.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 kgbone-in lamb (shoulder and leg pieces)
• 500 gjameed (dried yogurt), or 750 ml jameed liquid
• 500 gplain full-fat yogurt
• 2 cupslong-grain rice, soaked 30 min
• 2 largethin flatbreads (shraak or lavash)
• 1 largeonion, quartered
• 5 wholecardamom pods
• 2 stickscinnamon
• 4 wholecloves
• 1 tspturmeric
• ½ tspsaffron, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water
• 3 tbspghee or butter
• ½ cupalmonds, blanched
• ¼ cuppine nuts
• saltto taste
• fresh parsleyto garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the jameed sauce

   If using solid jameed, break it into chunks and soak in 1.5 litres warm water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Strain, reserving the golden liquid. Whisk the soaked jameed with the plain yogurt until smooth. Heat this mixture gently in a heavy pot over low heat, stirring continuously in one direction — never reverse — until it just comes to a simmer. Do not boil or it will split.

2. 2

   Parboil the lamb

   Place lamb in a large pot with onion, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and 1 tsp salt. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim foam for 10 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Remove lamb; reserve stock.

3. 3

   Braise lamb in jameed

   Add the lamb pieces to the jameed sauce. Stir in 2 cups of the reserved lamb stock and turmeric. Simmer very gently, partially covered, for 45–60 minutes until the lamb is extremely tender and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.

4. 4

   Cook the rice

   In a separate pot, heat ghee over medium heat and fry the rice 2 minutes. Add 3.5 cups of reserved lamb stock, saffron water, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on lowest heat for 18 minutes. Rest covered 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Fry the nuts and assemble

   Fry almonds and pine nuts in ghee until golden. On a very large tray, layer flatbread, then rice, then lamb pieces. Crown with nuts and parsley. Ladle extra jameed sauce over everything at the table.

Variations

• •

  Chicken Mansaf: substitute a whole chicken, reducing braising time to 30 minutes.

• •

  Some regions add a layer of slow-cooked whole onions beneath the rice.

Storage

Refrigerate separately (lamb, rice, sauce) for up to 3 days. Reheat lamb and sauce together in a saucepan; reheat rice with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions