Mansaf
The one meal I can eat everyday if I could.
Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with mansaf. Just like my dad, I am a HUGE mansaf fan. I am being serious when I say I could eat this meal everyday. The laban, the lamb, the pinenuts and almonds - everything. Just everything is simply mouthwatering.
Mansaf Mondays
We love mansaf so much that growing up my family would have “Mansaf Mondays.” It’s mainly my dad and I that have the strong addiction to this lovely meal, so ever since I got married they don’t cook it as often as they used to! Until I request mansaf for when my hubby and I go over, of course (which tends to be very frequent)!
Like Father, Like Daughter
I only learn from the best! My father would be the one to cook mansaf in our home and he’s the one who taught me how to cook it when I first got married. Now, I’m like a pro! If my dad approves of my mansaf, then you know I’m doing it right (thanks, dad)!
08/01/2017
Let’s Be Honest...
Mansaf is a very easy dish to make. I actually consider it to be the easiest middle-eastern dish of all. The steps are simple and the ingredients are minimal. If you’re a newlywed, this recipe would be great for you! And if you’re already a pro and have been cooking for years, try this version if it’s a little different than your own - it’s delicious!
RECIPE
Ingredients
Serves: 5-7 people, give or take (if you’d like to serve more or less, adjust amount of meat and rice).
Total Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours
For the soup and lamb...
1/2 shoulder lamb (ask your butcher to cut it for mansaf)
1 pint of Dana’s Yogurt Drink
2 medium sized jameed
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
Black pepper, to taste
Dash of ginger spice
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced largely
For the rice...
3 cups regular rice
1 tsp turmeric
Salt
For the garnish...
Pinenuts and/or slivered almonds
Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp oil
For serving...
Shrak bread.
1/2 shoulder lamb (ask your butcher to cut it for mansaf)
1 pint of Dana’s Yogurt Drink
2 medium sized jameed
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
Black pepper, to taste
Dash of ginger spice
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced largely
For the rice...
3 cups regular rice
1 tsp turmeric
Salt
For the garnish...
Pinenuts and/or slivered almonds
Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp oil
For serving...
Shrak bread.
Directions
For the soup and lamb...
Note: Soak the two jameed in cold water for a few hours before you begin. I like to soak them from morning of! This will help soften them, making it easier to blend later.
1. Before you begin, wash the chunks of lamb very well in a large stockpot until water runs clear. Cover lamb with water (about 4 inches above). Place over high heat, uncovered, until water begins to boil.
Note: The lamb will begin releasing fat to the surface about 20 minutes into it being on the fire. A lot of people choose to keep this fat, but we’ve always removed it. This step doesn’t make the mansaf less tasteful - it just makes it less fattening and gets rid of that translucent layer above the laban that you find most of the time.
2. With a large slotted spoon, completely remove the fat that makes its way to the surface of the water (this may take time). You might have to do this a couple times!
3. When all the fat has been removed, put the heat on medium-high. Toss in onions, salt, black pepper, and ginger. Allow to cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes with the pot partially covered.
Note: If the fat-removing process caused a lot of less water in your pot, add more water until the lamb is covered 3 to 4 inches.
4. About 1 hour and 10 minutes into cooking the lamb, prepare the jameed. Take the solid chunks out of the water and chop them into small pieces (don’t toss remaining water from the bowl you soaked them in). Then, put all of it in a blender and blend until it’s fully liquid. Pour half of it out into a large cup, so you can pour in the yogurt drink to blend that in.
5. After the lamb has been cooking for 1 hour and 20 minutes, dump enough water out of the pot until about a half inch of water is still covering the meat. Then, pour in all of the laban. Mix well and allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Taste the soup about 10 minutes into cooking it and adjust the salt and black pepper, if needed.
6. While the soup is cooking, cook your rice and slice 6 cloves of garlic (my favorite part). In a small pan, sauté the garlic in a tbsp of oil until fragrant and a light brown color. After the 30 minutes the soup has been cooking, toss in the garlic and add the turmeric. Stir well and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
7. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, prepare your chopped parsley and pinenuts and/or slivered almonds by frying them in a saucepan until golden brown.
8. Place shrak bread on a large platter. Soak the bread with soup to soften. Add the rice and meat. Pour more soup over both. Garnish with parsley and nuts!
9. Enjoy!
Note: Soak the two jameed in cold water for a few hours before you begin. I like to soak them from morning of! This will help soften them, making it easier to blend later.
1. Before you begin, wash the chunks of lamb very well in a large stockpot until water runs clear. Cover lamb with water (about 4 inches above). Place over high heat, uncovered, until water begins to boil.
Note: The lamb will begin releasing fat to the surface about 20 minutes into it being on the fire. A lot of people choose to keep this fat, but we’ve always removed it. This step doesn’t make the mansaf less tasteful - it just makes it less fattening and gets rid of that translucent layer above the laban that you find most of the time.
2. With a large slotted spoon, completely remove the fat that makes its way to the surface of the water (this may take time). You might have to do this a couple times!
3. When all the fat has been removed, put the heat on medium-high. Toss in onions, salt, black pepper, and ginger. Allow to cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes with the pot partially covered.
Note: If the fat-removing process caused a lot of less water in your pot, add more water until the lamb is covered 3 to 4 inches.
4. About 1 hour and 10 minutes into cooking the lamb, prepare the jameed. Take the solid chunks out of the water and chop them into small pieces (don’t toss remaining water from the bowl you soaked them in). Then, put all of it in a blender and blend until it’s fully liquid. Pour half of it out into a large cup, so you can pour in the yogurt drink to blend that in.
5. After the lamb has been cooking for 1 hour and 20 minutes, dump enough water out of the pot until about a half inch of water is still covering the meat. Then, pour in all of the laban. Mix well and allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Taste the soup about 10 minutes into cooking it and adjust the salt and black pepper, if needed.
6. While the soup is cooking, cook your rice and slice 6 cloves of garlic (my favorite part). In a small pan, sauté the garlic in a tbsp of oil until fragrant and a light brown color. After the 30 minutes the soup has been cooking, toss in the garlic and add the turmeric. Stir well and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
7. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, prepare your chopped parsley and pinenuts and/or slivered almonds by frying them in a saucepan until golden brown.
8. Place shrak bread on a large platter. Soak the bread with soup to soften. Add the rice and meat. Pour more soup over both. Garnish with parsley and nuts!
9. Enjoy!
