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Mains

Mansaf

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (0)
20 min
Prep
1 hr 30 min
Cook

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) jameed (dried fermented yoghurt), soaked and blended with 1.5 litres water (50 fl oz), or
  • 1 litre (4 cups) plain yoghurt as a substitute
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 400 g (2 cups) long-grain rice, rinsed (14 oz)
  • 3 sheets markook or shrak flatbread
  • 80 g (2/3 cup) toasted almonds and pine nuts, mixed, for garnish
  • 2 tbsp ghee or butter

Method

  1. Place the lamb and onions in a large pot, cover with water, and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming any foam.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the jameed (or yoghurt) with a little of the lamb cooking liquid until smooth, then bring to a gentle simmer in a separate pot, stirring constantly to prevent curdling.
  3. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and half the salt to the jameed sauce, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
  4. Transfer the cooked lamb into the jameed sauce and simmer together for a further 20 minutes so the meat absorbs the tangy flavour.
  5. Cook the rice separately in salted water with a knob of ghee until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain and fluff.
  6. Lay the flatbread sheets across a large communal platter, top with the rice, then arrange the lamb pieces over the rice.
  7. Pour a generous amount of the hot jameed sauce over the top, letting it soak into the bread and rice.
  8. Scatter with toasted almonds and pine nuts, and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Introduction: Mansaf is Jordan's national dish, rooted in Bedouin hospitality traditions where whole lamb is cooked in fermented dried yoghurt called jameed and served over a bed of rice and flatbread.

Cultural Background: Mansaf is Jordan's national dish, rooted in Bedouin hospitality traditions where whole lamb is cooked in fermented dried yoghurt called jameed and served over a bed of rice and flatbread. It remains the centrepiece of weddings, graduations and state occasions, traditionally eaten standing, by hand, from a single communal platter.

Tips: Whisk the jameed constantly while heating to prevent it from splitting – adding a spoon of cornflour slurry can help stabilise the sauce if using yoghurt as a substitute.

Variations: A quicker home version uses plain full-fat yoghurt instead of jameed, giving a milder tang. Chicken mansaf is a lighter alternative for smaller households.

Storage: Refrigerate lamb and sauce separately from the rice for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat the lamb and sauce gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often; warm the rice separately and reassemble before serving.

FAQs:

Q: What is jameed?

A: A hard, dried ball of fermented sheep's milk yoghurt, soaked and reconstituted into a tangy sauce.

Q: Can mansaf be made without jameed?

A: Yes, plain yoghurt is a common substitute outside Jordan, though the flavour is less tangy and complex.

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