Mansaf Recipe: Jordanian Lamb in Tangy Jameed Yoghurt Sauce

• 1.5 kg bone-in lamb cut into large pieces
• 1 ball dried jameed (soaked and blended) or 1 kg ready-to-use liquid jameed
• 500 g Egyptian short-grain rice (or a mix of short-grain and basmati)
• 2 to 3 sheets of thin saj flatbread (shrak)
• 1 onion, 2 bay leaves and 5 cardamom pods for poaching the lamb
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and salt if needed
• 2 tbsp Arabic cow or sheep ghee (samna baladi)
• Toasted almonds, pine nuts and finely chopped parsley to garnish

Preparation Steps

1. 1Place the lamb in a large pot, cover with about 1.5 litres of water, bring to a boil and skim off any foam, then add the onion, bay leaves and cardamom pods and simmer gently for 50 minutes.
2. 2If using hard dried jameed, break it into pieces, soak in warm water, blend until completely smooth and pass through a sieve; if using liquid jameed, simply shake the carton well.
3. 3Pour the jameed into the pot with the lamb and about half of the strained meat broth, bring to a gentle boil and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes so the meat absorbs the tangy sauce.
4. 4Meanwhile, cook the rinsed rice with 1 tbsp ghee, turmeric, a little salt and about 750 ml hot water over low heat for 15 minutes until tender and fluffy.
5. 5Line a wide serving platter with shrak bread, moisten it with a ladleful of hot jameed broth, pile the golden rice on top, arrange the lamb pieces in the centre, scatter with nuts toasted in the remaining ghee and serve the extra jameed sauce in a jug alongside.