📝 About This Recipe
Mansaf is more than just a meal; it is the national dish of Jordan and a profound symbol of hospitality and generosity. This ancient Bedouin masterpiece features succulent lamb slow-cooked in a rich, tangy sauce made from Jameed—a sun-dried, fermented goat’s milk yogurt—served over a bed of aromatic turmeric rice and paper-thin shrak bread. The result is a complex harmony of salty, sour, and savory flavors that melt together in a truly unforgettable culinary experience.
🥗 Ingredients
The Lamb & Broth
- 2 kg Lamb shoulder or leg (cut into large chunks, bone-in preferred)
- 2 medium Onion (peeled and quartered)
- 3 pieces Bay leaves
- 6-8 pieces Cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
- 1 piece Cinnamon stick
- 5 pieces Allspice berries
The Yogurt Sauce (Jameed)
- 1 liter Liquid Jameed (or 500g solid Jameed reconstituted in water)
- 500 grams Greek Yogurt (full fat, to mellow the intensity of the jameed)
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water)
- 1 tablespoon Mansaf Spices (a blend of turmeric, cumin, and dried ginger)
- 2 tablespoons Ghee (Samen) (preferably sheep's milk ghee)
The Rice & Base
- 4 cups Short-grain rice (Egyptian or Calrose, soaked for 30 mins)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric (for a vibrant golden color)
- to taste Salt (be careful as Jameed is naturally very salty)
- 3-4 large sheets Shrak Bread (also known as Markook or very thin flatbread)
For Garnish
- 1/2 cup Blanched Almonds (toasted in ghee until golden)
- 1/4 cup Pine Nuts (toasted until golden)
- 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the lamb chunks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain the water and rinse the meat to remove impurities and 'scum'.
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2
Return the meat to the pot and add 2 liters of fresh water, the quartered onions, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for 1.5 hours until the meat is partially tender.
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3
While the meat cooks, prepare the yogurt. If using liquid jameed, whisk it with the Greek yogurt and cornstarch slurry until perfectly smooth. If using solid jameed, blend it with water first.
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4
Strain the lamb broth into a clean pot, reserving the meat and discarding the whole spices and onions. Measure about 3-4 cups of the broth.
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5
Pour the yogurt mixture into a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat in one direction only until it reaches a gentle boil; this prevents the yogurt from curdling.
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6
Slowly whisk the 3-4 cups of hot lamb broth into the boiling yogurt until you reach a creamy, pourable consistency. Add the Mansaf spices and ghee.
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7
Add the par-cooked lamb pieces into the yogurt sauce. Simmer together for another 30-45 minutes on low heat until the lamb is 'fall-off-the-bone' tender.
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8
Prepare the rice: In a separate pot, sauté the soaked and drained rice with a bit of ghee and turmeric. Add 6 cups of water (or a mix of water and lamb broth), salt, and cook until fluffy.
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9
In a small skillet, fry the almonds and pine nuts in a tablespoon of ghee until they are a rich golden brown. Set aside.
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10
To assemble: On a large communal platter (Sidr), layer two sheets of Shrak bread. Ladle a generous amount of the yogurt sauce over the bread to soften it.
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11
Mound the golden turmeric rice over the soaked bread, forming a large hill.
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12
Arrange the tender lamb pieces on top of the rice. Pour another cup of the yogurt sauce over the meat and rice.
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13
Garnish generously with the toasted nuts and chopped parsley. Cover the platter with another piece of Shrak bread to keep it warm until the moment of serving.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always stir the yogurt in one direction while heating to prevent it from splitting. If you cannot find Jameed, you can substitute with a mix of Greek yogurt and Labneh, though the flavor will be less pungent. Do not salt the meat until the very end, as Jameed is intensely salty by nature. For the most authentic flavor, use sheep's milk ghee (Samen Baladi) to toast your nuts and finish the sauce. Soaking the rice for at least 30 minutes ensures the grains stay separate and fluffy.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with extra yogurt sauce in individual bowls on the side for pouring. Pair with a side of fresh crunchy vegetables like green onions, radishes, and hot green peppers. A glass of cold 'Ayrān' (salty yogurt drink) complements the richness perfectly. Serve hot and eat in the traditional style using your right hand to form small balls of rice and meat. Follow the meal with a cup of strong Arabic coffee scented with cardamom.