Mansaf with lamb, rice, and yogurt

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder
• 500 g basmati rice
• 250 g dried jameed
• 3 pieces shrak flatbread
• 2 pieces yellow onion
• 70 g samneh or clarified butter
• 70 g blanched almonds
• 40 g pine nuts
• 0.5 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 8 pieces whole green cardamom pods
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• to taste fine salt
• 2.5 l water

Method

1. If possible, start the jameed the day before: break it into chunks, cover with part of the water, and let soften. Otherwise, follow the quick method in the prepared components section.
2. Cut the bone-in lamb shoulder into large, even pieces. Place the meat in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring slowly to a gentle simmer.
3. Skim any foam and impurities from the surface until the broth is clear. Add the peeled and quartered onions, bay leaves, lightly crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and whole black peppercorns.
4. Maintain a gentle simmer, avoiding a rolling boil, until the lamb is tender but still holding to the bone. Add a little hot water during cooking only if the meat is no longer fully submerged.
5. Gently lift out the lamb pieces and set aside. Strain the broth and discard the aromatics. Skim only the excess fat from the surface, leaving a small amount for flavor.
6. Blend the softened jameed with its soaking liquid until completely smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide pot. Gradually whisk in hot broth until you have a smooth, pourable sauce that coats a spoon.
7. Warm the jameed sauce over medium heat, stirring continuously in one direction until it begins to simmer gently. Consistent stirring prevents curdling. Reduce the heat immediately.
8. Return the lamb to the sauce and simmer very gently until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and infused with flavor. Taste before adding any salt, as jameed is naturally very salty.
9. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. Heat a portion of the samneh in a saucepan, add the rice and ground turmeric, and stir gently to coat every grain.
10. Pour in the measured amount of strained hot broth. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and cook over very low heat until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, let rest covered, then fluff gently with a fork without mashing the grains.
11. In a small skillet, toast the almonds and pine nuts separately in the remaining samneh. Remove them as soon as they are evenly golden to prevent bitterness.
12. Arrange the shrak flatbread across a large serving platter. Ladle warm jameed sauce over the bread so it softens and absorbs the sauce without breaking apart completely.
13. Mound the warm rice over the bread, arrange the lamb pieces on top, and ladle over enough sauce to glaze the meat and flavor the rice. Scatter with the toasted almonds, pine nuts, and chopped parsley.
14. Serve immediately, passing the remaining warm jameed sauce in a bowl or gravy boat for guests to add to taste. In traditional Jordanian fashion, mansaf is presented at the center of the table on a single shared platter.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

705.5 kcal

Protein

42.85 g

Carbohydrate

55.31 g

Fat

34.97 g

Fibre

2.69 g

Calcium

35.32 mg

Iron

1.31 mg

Magnesium

39.14 mg