Mansaf ( Arab bites )

Ingredients

1 Jameed (dried goat yogurt) dried. A piece hand fist size.
8 Cups water
2 Cups vegetables (Onion, carrots, celery), diced
4 Cardamom cloves
4 Bay leaves
3 Cinnamon sticks
½ tsp cloves seeds
½ Whole lamb (small size, about 4 kilos)
Salt and pepper
4 Tbs oil or (ghee)
¼ Cups almond, peeled
¼ Cups pine nuts
3 Cups rice
1 tsp Turmeric (or saffron, dissolved in warm water)
3 ½ Cups water
2 Shrak bread (thin Arabic bread)
Parsley, chopped for decoration

Method

- Crush Jammed until powdered, soak in water (8 cups) for 24 hours or until soft. Stir at least twice during that time.
- Cut Lamb into big pieces, clean well and pat dry.
- Heat water in a large pot over medium heat; add vegetables and spices then add meat pieces, simmer for 30 minutes. Skim foam from top as necessary. Then remove meat and set aside (not fully cooked).
- Place Jameed with soaking water in another pot over medium heat, bring to boil and add the meat pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper, reduce heat, cover and leave for 60 minutes, stir occasionally until fully cooked.
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat, stir almond and pine nuts until golden. Drain on a paper towel.
- Rinse rice, drain then fry in same oil. Stir for 3 minutes, add turmeric and season with salt, pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add water, bring to boil over medium heat then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until done.
- For serving, put the bread in a plate or a tray; pour ½ of jameed stock (resulting from the meat cooking) then add a layer of rice, top with meat and finally pour remaining stock over the whole plate.
- Top with toasted almond and pine nuts, sprinkle chopped parsley and serve with more
jameed.

Note
- Remaining jameed stock can be served as a side plate, top with ghee and serve with white rice.
- Instead of jameed, a mixture of yogurt, flour and milk can be used but it won’t give the same traditional taste.
- Jameed is sold in certain places (in a liquid form) same as (buttermilk).In this case do not soak and use directly.