Mansaf - Lamb in Yogurt Sauce (Jordan) (My favorite Meat dish)

The national dish of Jordan is Mansaf: lamb seasoned with aromatic herbs, sometimes lightly spiced, cooked in yoghurt, and served with huge quantities of rice. Feasting on Mansaf is taken seriously, and hours are spent in its preparations.

Mansaf is cooked in jameed (the Arabic word for dried yoghurt), which is then mixed with water in a tray to produce a creamy sauce. This is poured into a large stewing pot with chunks of lamb meat. The pot is put over an open fire. As the stew begins to warm, it is stirred to prevent the yogurt from separating.

Large trays are covered with the doughy flat Arabic bread and dampened with yogurt. On top of this, a layer of rice is heaped. The meat is then piled on top. Almonds, pine-kernels and other nuts may be sprinkled over the dish, which is then ready for serving.

2 LARGE CONTAINERS PLAIN whole milk YOGuRT (Or you can just use JAMEED with some water which is in any Arabic or Persian market)
LARGE CUT UP PEACES OF LAMB (WITH BONES) or Lamb Shanks
WATER TO BOIL MEAT
1 ONION
SALT

Cumin, Turmeric, and any other spices if desired for lamb

3 CUPS RICE (JASMIN MEDIUM GRAIN or Tilda Basmati IS GOOD)
SLIVERED ALMONDS
PINE NUTS
1 1/2 CUPS BUTTER

Arabic Flat Bread

1:IN A LARGE POT BEFORE TURNING ON HEAT MIX IN ALL YOGuRT

2: ON HIGH HEAT BRING YOGuRT (Or Jameed) TO A BOIL. (VERY IMPORTANT) MAKE SURE WHILE BRINGING YOGuRT TO BOIL, YOU ARE CONSTANTLY STIRRING YOGART WITH A WOODEN LADLE ONE WAY ONLY. SO IF YOU STARTED STIRRING TO THE LEFT YOU MUST KEEP STIRRING THAT WAY UNTIL YOGurT STARTS TO BOIL.

3: ONCE YOGuRT BOILS TURN HEAT OFF.

4: IN ANOTHER POT COVER lamb shanks or CUT UP LAMB (WITH BONES) WITH WATER.

5: ADD 1/4 OF AN ONION.

6: BOIL UNTIL LAMB IS TENDER.

7: REMOVE LAMB AND STRAIN WATER (LAMB BROTH) TO REMOVE ANY SMALL PARTICALS.

8: ADD ABOUT 2-3 CUPS OF THE WATER (LAMB BROTH ) TO THE POT OF COOKED YOGART.

9: add salt to taste and if not tart enough you may add juice from about 1/2 a lemon.

10: add lamb meat to the yogart and broth mixture (make sure to remove the onion)and let boil one more time.

11: cook rice with 1 cup of butter

12: brown almonds and pine nuts in remaining butter.

13: once rice is cooked remove it from pot and place it in a large round platter, then spread half of the nuts on top of rice, then place lamb meat over rice and nuts, then spread remaining nuts over entire platter

14: place the cooked yogurt in a large serving bowl

15: when serving put Arabic bread and wet it with some yogurt, then add rice and meat in individual plates and spread cooked yogurt and slivered nuts over it.

16: enjoy

this is the real Jordanian way except many Jordanians usually make their own yogurt

Recipe from http://www.estarcion.com/gastronome/archives/001758.html

Another version:

2 Kilo lamb shoulder water salt freshly ground paper ¼ cup clarified butter ¼ cup pine nuts 1 large onion, chopped 1½ teaspoons turmeric ½ teaspoon allspice 1 small piece cinnamon bark 2cups yogurt 1 egg white 2 teaspoons corn flour

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yogurt sauce Place yogurt in a heavy-based pan Beat egg white with a fork until frothy and blend into yogurt with corn flour and 2-teaspoon salt. Stir in the same direction until thoroughly combined. Place pan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Heat until it begins to boil, stirring continuously in the same direction. This is important. Lower heat and leave to boil gently, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes until thick. Cut shoulder into even-sized pieces. Place lamb in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to boil. Skimming is required. When well skimmed and boiling, add salt and paper to taste. Cover and boil gently for 30 minutes. Heat butter in frying pan and add pine nuts. Fry until golden and remove pine nuts to a plate, draining butter back into the pan. Add onion to pan and fry gently until transparent. Stir in turmeric, allspice and cinnamon bark and cook for farther 2 minutes. Add this mixture to the boiling lamb. After lamb has been cooking for 1 hour, remove lid and let liquid reduce until it half covers lamb. When reduced, add Yogurt sauce, shaking pan to blend it with liquid. Let Mansaf boil gently on low heat until lamb is tender and sauce is thick. Serve hot with plain rice and sprinkle with the browned pine nuts.

http://www.jordan-explorer.com/Mansaf.asp