Mansaf (Jordanian National Dish)

  • Total time - 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Active preparation - 45 minutes
  • Meat cooking time - 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Servings: 6
  • Country: Jordan
A large ceremonial platter of Mansaf with rice, pieces of lamb, and nuts, drizzled with white jameed yogurt.

The most crucial ingredient for Mansaf is jameed (dried salty yogurt). If you don't have access to traditional jameed, you can use commercially available liquid jameed or substitute with thick Greek yogurt mixed with some broth and salt, though the flavor will not be as authentic.

The lamb should be so tender that it falls off the bone. The rice is traditionally cooked with saffron or turmeric for a yellow color.

Ingredients

Lamb and Broth

  • 1.5 kg Lamb meat (with bone, ribs, leg) cut into large pieces
  • 10 pieces Whole cardamom
  • 4 pieces Bay leaves
  • 1 piece Onion, whole, peeled
  • to taste Salt

Jameed Sauce

  • 1 l Jameed (liquid, or soaked balls), or thick Greek yogurt as a substitute
  • 1.5 l Lamb broth
  • 1 tbsp Mansaf spices (special spice mix, optional)

Rice and Serving

  • 3 cups Rice (Egyptian/short-grain), rinsed and soaked
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 3 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
  • 3 pieces Shrak (or other thin flatbread)
  • 0.5 cups Pine nuts and almonds, toasted in ghee
  • for garnish Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Cooking the Lamb

Place the lamb in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim the foam. Drain the water, rinse the meat, and return it to the pot with fresh water.

Add the onion, cardamom, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 2–3 hours until the meat is very tender and begins to fall off the bone. Reserve 1.5 L of the broth.

Step 2: Preparing the Jameed Sauce

If using dried jameed, soak it overnight, then blend it with some broth. Strain.

In a large pot, heat the jameed (or substitute yogurt) and add the Mansaf spices. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with hot lamb broth. Keep it warm, but do not bring to a rolling boil, only a gentle simmer. Stir the sauce constantly until heated to prevent the yogurt from curdling.

Step 3: Finishing the Meat

Carefully remove the cooked lamb pieces from the broth and transfer them to the jameed sauce. Simmer in the sauce for about 30 minutes to infuse the meat with the yogurt flavor.

Step 4: Rice

In a medium pot, heat the ghee. Add the rinsed and drained rice, turmeric, and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes until the rice grains are coated in fat. Add 4.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Step 5: Serving (Arrangement)

Lay 2-3 sheets of shrak bread (or saj) on a large round platter. Drizzle the bread with a few spoons of jameed sauce to soak.

Layer the yellow rice over the bread, forming a mound.

Place the pieces of lamb on top of the rice mound.

Toast the almonds and pine nuts in ghee. Sprinkle them over the meat and rice, along with the chopped parsley.

Serve Mansaf with a bowl of hot jameed sauce on the side for everyone to pour over their portion. Traditionally, the dish is eaten by hand.