Generally served family-style, mansaf is the national dish of Jordan. Savour this fragrant lamb cooked in yoghurt, served on delicately spiced rice and topped with toasted nuts.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small stick of cinnamon
4 cardamom pods
2 Bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp tomato puree
600g lamb shoulder, cubed
½ cup Greek yoghurt plus more to serve
200g Basmati rice
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup cashews, unsalted
1/4 cup pistachios, unsalted
1/4 cup flaked almonds
salt and pepper
1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then put it in a container with enough cold water to cover and soak for an hour.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gently fry the onion, cumin, cinnamon and cardamom for a few minutes until soft. Add the Bay leaves and garlic and cook for another few minutes. Add the tomato puree and stir well to mix.
Add the lamb and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Pour in 1 litre of water and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer for arround an hour, until the meat is tender.
In the meantime, dry fry the nuts in a frying pan until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
When the lamb is cooked, run the mixture through a sieve, retaining the cooking liquid. Place 2½ cups of the broth into a clean saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the stock. Bring back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed into the rice. Set aside with the lid on.
Combine the lamb and strained herbs and spices, removing the cinnamon stick, in a saucepan with the yoghurt and the remaining cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a light simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and then arrange on a serving plate. Spoon the lamb and sauce over the rice, then scatter the nuts over the top. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and additional yoghurt on the side.
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