Easy recipe: Mansaf with turmeric rice

Pressure cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the lamb is very tender (Photo: Gemini)

This is a Jordanian national dish that has become popular around the world.

Ingredients:

2 lamb legs (about 2.5 kg)

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 tablespoon spice mix for wet and dry frying

1 bay leaf

1 cup water

Salt to taste

Place the lamb, which has been cut into four chunks, into a pressure cooker with all the other ingredients. Pressure cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the lamb is very tender. Once cooked, set the lamb aside and reserve the broth, which will be used for the rice and yoghurt sauce.

For the rice:

3 cups basmati rice

3 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 teaspoon ghee

1 cup broth from the lamb

1 teaspoon Royco turmeric powder

Mix all the ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and steam for a further 15 minutes.

Let’s make the sauce:

500g thick Greek yoghurt (or Jameed, if you have it)

1 cup lamb broth

2 chilli cubes

In a separate pot or pan, add the broth, then the yoghurt and chilli cubes. Mix well, bring to a simmer, then add the cooked lamb.

Smother the lamb in the delicious sauce, reduce the heat to low, and slow cook until the sauce has slightly thickened.

On a platter, shred some flatbread; ideally shrak or markouk, but I used brown chapatis or rotis.

Pour the rice over the flatbread, then layer the lamb over the rice with the sauce.

Finally, finish off with some roasted almonds or pine nuts, if you have them. Enjoy!