Jordanian Chicken Mansaf Dish (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Yogurt Sauce
01 -
3 litres jameed yogurt, Ayran, Kefir, plain yogurt, or a blend
→ Rice
02 -
3 cups Calrose medium grain rice
03 -
3 cups water, enough to cover rice by 1 centimetre
04 -
1 teaspoon salt
05 -
1 teaspoon ghee or butter
→ Chicken and Seasoning
06 -
1.5 kilograms whole chicken, skinless, bone-in, cut into 8 pieces
07 -
1 teaspoon salt
08 -
0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 -
0.25 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 -
0.5 teaspoon Mansaf spice blend (optional; mix of turmeric, fenugreek, and handagoog)
11 -
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
12 -
2 medium yellow onions, quartered (for straining yogurt) or finely diced
13 -
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
→ Nut Garnish
14 -
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
15 -
0.25 cup pine nuts
16 -
0.5 cup almond halves or slivered almonds
→ To Serve
17 -
Shrak bread
18 -
Green onions or quartered yellow/white onions
# Instructions:
01 -
Soak dried jameed in water overnight. For a 200 grams ball of jameed, blend with 300 millilitres water, adjusting the water to achieve a heavy cream consistency.
02 -
Soak rice in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear. In a medium pot, combine rice with enough water to cover by 1 centimetre, salt, and ghee. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12 minutes, then remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and cover.
03 -
Coat chicken pieces evenly with salt, black pepper, turmeric, and Mansaf spice blend if using.
04 -
Heat ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and onions. Brown the chicken pieces, then transfer them to a plate.
05 -
Reduce heat to medium. Add blended yogurt to the onions in the Dutch oven. Stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil.
06 -
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove onions, returning the sauce to the Dutch oven. Add bay leaves.
07 -
Return browned chicken pieces to the strained sauce. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through and reaches at least 74°C internal temperature (about 15 minutes). Remove and discard bay leaves.
08 -
In a skillet over low heat, melt ghee or oil. Toast pine nuts, stirring constantly, until golden (2–3 minutes). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with almonds.
09 -
Arrange shrak bread on a large serving platter. Mound fluffed rice over the bread, top with chicken pieces, and sprinkle generously with toasted pine nuts and almonds. Serve hot with yogurt sauce in bowls and green or quartered onions alongside.
# Notes:
01 -
Ensure the yogurt sauce is stirred continuously to prevent curdling and maintain a creamy texture.