The national dish of Jordan, Mansaf is a festive meal of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice.
Prep Time
30 minutes (plus soaking time for yogurt)
Cook Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty
Hard
Skills Required
Working with Jameed
Ingredients & Nutrition
800 kcal
Calories
50g
Protein
45g
Fat
50g
Carbs
3g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
1100mg
Sodium
- 3 lbs, bone-in Lamb Pieces
- 1 kg block Jameed (fermented dried yogurt)
- 3 cups Short-grain Rice
- 4 tbsp Ghee or Butter
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1, chopped Onion
- to taste Spices (cardamom, allspice, black pepper)
- for serving Flatbread (Shrak)
- for garnish Toasted Pine Nuts and Almonds
Equipment Needed
Let AI Suggest Variations
- Use chicken for a lighter version.
- If jameed is unavailable, a substitute can be made with Greek yogurt, but the flavor will be different.
- Some recipes include a drizzle of ghee over the final dish.
- Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Instructions:
1. Break the jameed into pieces and soak in water overnight. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large pot, brown the lamb pieces. Add the chopped onion and spices, and cover with water. Simmer for 1.5 hours until tender.
3. Strain the jameed sauce into the pot with the lamb. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rice with turmeric and ghee until tender.
5. To serve, layer flatbread on a large platter. Top with rice, then arrange the lamb pieces over the rice.
6. Pour a generous amount of the jameed sauce over everything. Garnish with toasted nuts and chopped parsley.