Mansaf
Amman, Jordan
Jordan's ceremonial national dish, mansaf is lamb cooked in jameed — a fermented dried yogurt reconstituted into a tangy, creamy sauce. Served on a massive platter over flatbread and rice, garnished with pine nuts and almonds. Eating mansaf traditionally means standing around the platter and using only your right hand to form balls of rice and meat. The jameed gives it a distinctive sour-savory flavor found nowhere else.
Ingredients
- 1500 glamb shoulder (large chunks)
- 500 gjameed (rehydrated and blended)
- 600 gbasmati rice
- 2 large sheetsshrak (markook) flatbread
- 1 tspturmeric
- 100 gtoasted pine nuts & almonds
- 3 tbspghee (samneh)
- 5 piecesbay leaves & cardamom pods
- 0.5 cupfresh parsley (chopped)
Directions
- 1
Boil the lamb chunks with cardamom and bay leaves, skimming the foam until the meat is halfway cooked; drain and set the meat aside.
- 2
Slowly whisk the liquefied jameed into a large pot and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly in one direction to prevent curdling.
- 3
Add the lamb to the jameed sauce and simmer on low for 1-2 hours until the meat is 'falling off the bone' tender.
- 4
Cook the rice with ghee and turmeric to give it a vibrant yellow color and rich aroma.
- 5
To assemble, layer a large platter with shrak bread and ladle a small amount of jameed sauce to soak it.
- 6
Mound the rice over the bread, arrange the lamb pieces on top, and pour more sauce over the entire dish.
- 7
Garnish heavily with toasted nuts and parsley. Serve the remaining sauce in a bowl on the side to be poured by guests.