Jordanian cuisine is overflowing with delectable recipes, and authentic Jordanian Mansaf is at the top of the list. Mansaf is a traditional dish composed of layers of bread, rice, and tender chunks of lamb served with a special yogurt sauce.
Mansaf is Jordan’s national dish, and it is something you should try if you ever visit. It is, however, extremely popular in the Middle East and Levant. It is a special occasion meal that is often served at family gatherings.
This hearty Arab dish is here to steal your heart. I’m confident you’ll enjoy it immensely! It’s incredibly simple to make and tastes fantastic.
A Peak into Jordan’s Soul
Exciting Facts about National Mansaf
This valuable, easily prepared dish is served at events and special occasions such as national or religious holidays and Ramadan, as well as when special guests visit.
It also makes a delicious, wholesome meal that can be served casually at home to spoil your family with all of this dish’s incredible flavors.
There’s a certain Jordanian pride and significance that goes along with Mansaf, and once you taste it and experience a communal meal of it, you’ll know why. Take a bit of lamb, bread, and rice to make a ball, then pop it into your mouth in one bite and enjoy it.
Cultural Culinary Bliss
Traditional Beduin-Jameed
Mansaf can be made with readily available liquid jameed, which is a hard, dried goat’s milk yogurt. It is widely available in most supermarkets throughout the Gulf countries.
But it is deliciously better if you prepare it at home. The secret of preparing jameed is that when soaking, it is better for you to keep an eye on it to get a balanced texture and incredible flavor.
Jameed is a vital ingredient that is traditionally used in Mansaf recipes. Laban is the Arabic word for yogurt, and Jameed means “hard”. Jameed is a fermented milk product that is made from sheep or goat milk, and it has its own flavor and aroma.
Personally, I like to do an initial boil for my lamb to get rid of the gamey taste and gunk, so I add 1 tablespoon of oil to a pot and heat it up.
Ingredients
The ingredients for the most luxurious and delectable Mansaf are the following:
For Initial boiling:
Cardamom pods
Oil
Lamb shoulder
Water to cover
Yellow onion
Cinnamon
Black pepper
Bay leaf
For the Rice:
Cal rose rice (or Egyptian Rice)
Turmeric
Salt
Hot water
Oil
Ghee
For the Mansaf Broth:
Bone in lamb shoulder
Jameed
Oil
Ghee
Water for jameed soak
Labaneh
Yogurt drink
Mansaf spices
Black pepper
Cracked Cardamom pods
Salt
Colorful Combination
Easy Steps to Make Authentic Jordanian Mansaf
First, break the fermented yogurt (jameed) into small pieces and place in a bowl.
Then, add 1 cup of boiling water on top, cover it, and let it sit for 1 hour.
Second, add the lamb and sear for 1 minute, then add the onion, spices, and mix.
Then, add enough hot water to cover and let it sit on high heat for 10–15 minutes, until it boils.
Once it starts boiling, remove the lamb and discard the spices and onion.
Then, Add the lamb shoulder and the mansaf spices along with the black pepper and cardamom pods, and add enough hot water to cover.
Now, let it come to a boil before lowering the heat to medium and covering it to cook for about 45 minutes.
After that, strain the broth and set it aside. Return the lamb to the pot.
Meanwhile, add the soaked jameed pieces (with the water) into a blender along with the labneh and yogurt drink, and blend on high speed until smooth.
Finally, add the yogurt sauce to the lamb, using a strainer to make sure it stays smooth.
Now, add 2 cups of the leftover strained broth and mix. Keep mixing on medium heat until it foams, for about 10–15 minutes.
Last but not least, cover it and let it cool for another 45 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Finish it off with the tbsp of ghee.
For the Rice:
First, once the rice is washed, strain it and add the oil and ghee to a pot on high heat. Add the rice once the ghee is melted.
Next, add the salt and turmeric and mix.
Finally, add the hot water and let it come to a boil, for about 5 minutes.
Now, lower the heat to low, and cover for another 15-20 minutes or until done.
For Assembling:
First, add a layer of shrak (thin bread) on the bottom.
Then, drizzle about ½ cup of yogurt soup over the top.
Next, layer the rice on it and add the lamb.
Then, top with toasted almonds or pine nuts and parsley.
Last but not least, strain the yogurt soup into a bowl, and now the cardamom pods will come out.
Finally, take a bit of lamb, bread, and rice to make a ball, then pop it into your mouth in one bite!
Substitutions and Variations
Yogurt: There is such thing as forbidden love between vegan folks or those with lactose intolerance and mansaf; you cannot simply substitute yogurt with dairy-free alternative such as coconut yogurt or any other non dairy yogurt. Mansaf uses Jameed, which is dry fermented yogurt. Unfortunately, the dry jameed or the liquid ones are a must for authentic mansaf.
Garnish: Most Jordanians argue that parsley is not a garnish that’s meant to be used for mansaf. However, alot of Jordanians still use it anyway.
Sauce: Unfortunately, there is no substitution to the sauce that would keep the dish authentic.
Jordanian Jameed & Mansaf
Tips and Safety Tricks
- Authentic Mansaf, like most Middle Eastern rice dishes, is topped with crunchy toasted or fried nuts. Don’t skip this step because it adds a unique flavor and crunch to the rice; fry the nuts in butter or ghee right before serving.
- The sauce must be neither too thick nor too runny; it should have the consistency of thin gravy.
- Use a pressure cooker instead of a regular cooking pot to cook the lamb faster. In less than an hour, the meat will be tender.
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Marinate the lamb in a mixture of yogurt, warm water, and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves for several hours or even overnight. This adds flavor and helps the meat become more soft.
- Use water to soften any dried jameed by soaking it first. After that, mix it to a smooth paste, making sure there are no lumps.
Heaven on Earth
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Storage Tips
Storing: If you have leftover Mansaf, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure to separate the rice from the sauce and meat if possible to maintain freshness.
Refrigeration: Mansaf can typically be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. After that, it’s best to discard any remaining leftovers to avoid spoilage.
Freezing: Mansaf can be frozen for longer-term storage. However, the texture of the rice and the sauce might change slightly upon thawing. To freeze Mansaf, portion it into meal-sized containers or freezer bags. Ensure that the containers are airtight to prevent freezer burn.
Reheating: You can reheat in the oven or on the stovetop. I recommend adding some water or yogurt to retain the original texture. Additionally, I would add fresh garnishing on top after reheating.
Jordan’s Most Prized Dish
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, Mansaf has nothing in common with biryani. Aside from the fact that they are both rice and meat dishes, the ingredients and flavor profiles are completely different.
For traditional gatherings such as weddings, mansaf is served on a large community platter. The guests would stand or sit around the platter with their left hand behind their back and eat with their right hand only. You make rice and meat balls, pop them in your mouth, and eat them! Nowadays, most people use spoons, however it’s still very communal.
Mansaf is served on a large platter with shrak bread on the bottom to soak up the rich Jameed yogurt sauce that will soon be poured on top. After assembling the mansaf, save any extra Jameed sauce for pouring over the rice.
Can I use basmati rice for Mansaf?
No, Mansaf traditionally is made with a short grain rice like Egyptian rice. The rice is not meant to be like Kabsa.
Simply pop the liquids back into the blender, or use an immersion blender for a few minutes, and that should solve the problem.
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
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Authentic Mansaf
Ingredients
For Initial Boil:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- lamb shoulder
- water to cover
- 5 cardamom pods
- 1 small yellow onion
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
For the Rice:
- 3 cups calrose rice washed well, a few times, do not soak
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups hot water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ tablespoon ghee
Mansaf Broth
- 7 pounds lamb shoulder about 7-8 Large pieces
- 2 pounds jameed dry fermented yogurt, aout 2 small heads (or 2 liquid soup starter packets)
- 1 cup water for jameed soak
- 8 cups yogurt drink
- 1 pound labaneh optional* see notes
- 1½ tablespoons mansaf spices
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 4 cardamom pods cracked
- salt to taste
- water to cover
- 1 tbsp ghee
Instructions
- Break the fermented yogurt (jameed) into small pieces and place in a bowl, then add 1 cup of boiling water on top, cover it, and let it sit for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably 4+ hours.
- I like to do an initial boil for my lamb to get rid of the gamy taste and gunk, so I add 1 tablespoon of oil to a pot and heat it up. Add the lamb and sear for 1 minute, then add the onion, spices, and mix.
- Add enough hot water to cover and let it sit on high heat for 10–15 minutes, until it boils. Once boiling, remove the lamb and discard the spices and onion.
- Now to the same pot, Add the lamb shoulder and the Mansaf spices along with the black pepper and cardamom pods, and add enough hot water to cover. Let it come to a boil before lowering the heat to medium and covering it to cook for about 45 minutes. Once the 45 minutes are up, strain the broth and set it aside. Return the lamb to the pot.
- As that's cooking, add the soaked jameed pieces (withthe water) into a blender along with the Labneh and yogurt drink, and blend on high speed until smooth.
- Add the yogurt sauce to the lamb, using a strainer to make sure it stays smooth. Now add 2 cups of the leftover strained broth and mix. Keep mixing on medium heat until it foams, about 10–15 minutes.
- Once it is done, cover and let it cool for another 45 minutes, or until the Iamb is tender. Finish it off with the tbsp of ghee.
For the Rice:
- Once rice is washed, strain it, and add oil and ghee to a pot on high heat, then add the rice once the ghee is melted.
- Add the salt and turmeric and mix.
- Add the hot water and let it come to a boil about 5 minutes.
- Now lower the heat to low, and cover for another 15-20 minutes or until done.
For Assembling:
- To assemble the platter, you can start by adding a layer of shrak (thin bread) on the bottom. Drizzle about ½ cup yogurt soup over the top. Now layer the rice on it and add the lamb. Top with toasted almonds or pine nuts and parsley. Strain the yogurt soup into a bowl, and now the cardamom pods will come out. Serve and enjoy.
- Take a bit of lamb, bread and rice to make a ball, then pop into your mouth in one bite! Enjoy
Notes
- The sauce must be neither too thick nor too runny; it should have the consistency of thin gravy.
- I like adding Labneh ONLY when my jameed isnt sour. labneh can give a tang and you can do without it!
- Authentic Mansaf, like most Middle Eastern rice dishes, is topped with crunchy toasted or fried nuts. Don’t skip this step because it adds a unique flavor and crunch to the rice. Here’s a tip: fry the nuts in ghee right before serving.
- Use a pressure cooker instead of a regular cooking pot to cook the lamb faster. In less than an hour, the meat will be tender.
- Each jameed rock can be substituted with 1 packet of soup starter (liquid jameed).
- Freeze the left over yogurt! I strain it and add it to an airtight ziplock bag and use it for another round of mansaf or other yogurt dishes! Works like a charm, and freezes well for months.
6 Responses
Amazing website and Delicious recipes
Amazing mansaf recipe 😋😋😋 authentic and full of flavor
Loved this recipe so much. This was my first time trying jordanian food. I used venison and lamb in this and it was so good!
This was the best mansaf I ever had! So full of flavor
Salam alaikum do you have a spice mix recipe for the mansaf spices
You can just use a little turmeric, 7 spice and the tiniest bit coriander.