Levantine cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Mansaf

Jordan's festive dish: tender lamb in yogurt sauce over rice with toasted almonds.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.2 kg lamb shoulder (cubed)
• 500 g yogurt (10%)
• 200 g Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 400 g basmati rice
• 60 g almonds
• 40 g pine nuts
• 2 flatbreads
• 1 tsp allspice
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt, pepper
• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions

1. Sear the lamb cubes well on all sides in ghee, cover with water, add the allspice and bay leaves, then cover and braise gently for 90 min, until the meat is tender.
2. Stir both yogurts together with the cornstarch until smooth – the starch keeps the sauce from curdling.
3. Heat the yogurt mixture in a pot, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil once (always stir in the same direction to keep it smooth).
4. Add the braised meat with a little of the braising liquid to the yogurt sauce and let it steep for 15 min; season with salt and pepper.
5. Wash the rice and cook until tender in salted water; toast the almonds and pine nuts in a little ghee until golden brown.
6. Lay the flatbread out on a large platter, soak it with a little of the sauce, then spread the rice on top.
7. Spoon the meat and sauce over the rice and sprinkle with the toasted nuts – traditionally, Mansaf is eaten together straight from the platter.