Mansaf

• servings: 6-8
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Lamb and Broth

2 lb lamb meat, in 2” chunks (preferably bone-in, so drop to 1½ lbs of meat for boneless

1 onion, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter

1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground black pepper

Turmeric Rice

2 cups short grain rice

2 tbsp ghee

½ tsp turmeric

2½ cups water

½ cup toasted nuts (almonds typically)

½ bunch parsley, chopped

Jameed Sauce

1 packet liquid Jameed / Soup Starter (comes in smaller 500g boxes)

1½ cups broth (from cooking lamb)

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp ghee

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions

Fill a deep pot with enough water that you think will cover the lamb meat and bring it to a boil. Add the meat and boil for 5 minutes, then strain out the meat.This is to remove most of the foam in the broth and to parboil the lamb to make it easier to brown all at once.

Melt 2 tbsp of ghee in the pot over medium and add the onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the lamb and spices. Brown the lamb on as many sides as you can before things start to burn, then add in just enough water to cover everything. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered until the lamb is cooked through. This will take anywhere from 50-75 minutes, so check as needed.

While the lamb is boiling, melt 2 tbsp of ghee in a medium pot over medium-high heat, then add the rice. Stir until the grains are all covered in fat, then add in the turmeric and a pinch of salt. Continue toasting the rice until you’re afraid it’s about to burn, then add in 2½ cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered until the rice is fully cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Once complete, set aside covered until ready to serve.

Once the lamb is cooked through, remove the meat and set it aside. Strain off the remaining solids and reserve all of the remaining broth. You’ll use some of it for the Jameed sauce, and you’ll have some left over for other recipes (or just use it to cook rice).

In a large bowl, add the yogurt and cornstarch. Mix well with a whisk until well-combined, then add the liquid Jameed and whisk again. Once combined, add in about 1½ cups of the broth from cooking the lamb. Set aside briefly.

In the deep pot from before, melt in 2 tbsp of ghee over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute the garlic until aromatic, careful not to burn it. Once the garlic has nicely flavored the fat, add in the Jameed mixture and whisk everything to combine. Bring to a boil, whisking periodically.

Add the cooked lamb to the Jameed mixture and taste for seasoning. Cook the mixture over medium-low for another 10 minutes. Add more broth or cornstarch to change the final texture of the sauce as needed. Fluff the rice and add in the toasted nuts and parsley. Serve by laying out a bed of rice (and bread too if you want). Add the lamb meat on top and drizzle on more sauce as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Considered to be the national dish of Jordan, this Middle-eastern dish has a very unique taste compared to Western cuisine. Lamb is boiled then cooked in a tangy fermented yogurt sauce, and served over turmeric rice. The tangy and salty yogurt sauce, resembling a funky goat’s cheese in taste, flavors the rice and nicely compliments the lamb meat. This dish is meant to be eaten communal style on a large platter with shrak bread, but you can serve it anyway you like and with any flatbread you like.