Mansaf - Jordanian Lamb Stew with Leben and Rice – Dairy-free version

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveLarge pot
2. 2
   Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
4. 4
   Add the cumin, turmeric and cinnamon and fry 1 minute.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
5. 5
   Add the meat and brown on all sides.

   Stove
6. 6
   Add the water, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 90 minutes, until the meat is tender.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
7. 7
   Meanwhile, mix the unsweetened soy yogurt, flour and egg in another pot and heat over low heat, stirring.

   StovePot

   💡The flour and egg stabilize the unsweetened soy yogurt: without them it splits into curds as it heats. Stir constantly and never bring it to a hard boil.
8. 8
   Remove the meat from the pot. Add some of the cooking liquid to the unsweetened soy yogurt sauce and cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

   Slotted spoonStove
9. 9
   In a pot, bring the water, turmeric and salt to a boil, add the rice and stir once.

   StovePot
10. 10
    Turn down to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

    ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid
11. 11
    Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

    💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
12. 12
    Spread the rice on a large serving platter, lay the meat on top and pour the unsweetened soy yogurt sauce over it.

    Serving platter
13. 13
    Sprinkle the almonds and parsley on top.