Mansaf -Jordanian National Food

Mansaf, the traditional dish of Jordan is comprised of "Jameed" - drenched rice, meat and Shrak bread.
Jameed is a special kind of sun dried yoghurt, that is generally fist-sized and hard as a rock. It is later broken down and cooked, then served in generous quantities alongside the rice and meat. Since, we do not get Jameed easily in Western countries here, I did not try it until when one of my Jordanian friends suggested that i make a substitute for it by mixing Yogurt, curd cheese with a powdered essence of Lemon. Though the taste would be a little different from the traditional Mansaf, it definitely was a rich feast  ! Someday, would defnitely love to try it with the actual "jameed" !


Ingredients for 2-3 persons

Lamb - 1 kg
Basmati rice - 2 cup (washed, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained).
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Onion - 1 (cutted to squares)
Arabic loaves of bread called Shrak or Pita
Parsley - 1 cup (finely chopped)
Salt
Pepper - 2 tsp
cloves - 3
spices (according to your taste)
Yogurt - 500 gms
Curd Cheese - 2 tbsp
Powdered essence of Lemon - 1/2 tsp (available in Turkish shops as Limon Tuzu)
Water - 1 litre

Preparation
1. Slow cook the lamb in cold water with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, simmer it and cook for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the meat and reserve the broth.
3. In a separate bowl, add Yogurt, curd cheese, powdered essence of lemon and whisk it well.
4. Mix this Yogurt mix with the reserved broth. Let it boil.

5. Add the meat, onions, salt, spices, cloves and simmer until the meat is tender and cooked well with the broth.

6. In a separate pan, heat the ghee and saute the rice for 2 minutes until the grains are coated completely with the ghee.

7. Add enough water and cook the rice until fluffy. (Please read the instructions in the packet of the rice used, as regards to the water).
8. Take a large serving plate. Spread out the one or two loaves of bread on it. 

9. Pour over a laddle full of the Yogurt broth over the bread.

 10. Put the cooked rice on the bread.

 11. Arrange pieces of the meat on the rice bed. Pour over the Yogurt soup generously all over.

 12. Sprinkle roasted pine nuts and/or Almonds and parsley.

Serve Mansaf along with a bowl of the Yogurt soup which could be poured as and when you are enjoying the feast. Its a single plate meal. All the members gather around and eat from this single plate with hand.

This festive rice recipe goes to the Festive rice event hosted by Torview