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Jordanian mansaf recipe and nutritional advice

Jordanian mansaf is considered one of the dishes served in many Arab countries on special occasions, the most prominent of which is Eid al-Adha. The Jordanian mansaf recipe is considered a very delicious meal and can be prepared in more than one way. Its origins are linked to an ancient war and historical development, and it has survived for thousands of years in Jordan. It is considered... A symbol of authenticity and hospitality.

Jordanian mansaf recipe


The Jordanian mansaf recipe varies, as some eat mansaf with meat and others eat Jordanian meat with grits. The Jordanian mansaf recipe can be learned through the following:

Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat

The Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat consists of several ingredients:

Ingredients for boiling meat:

  • Two kilograms of lamb cut into large pieces.
  •  Two tablespoons of salt. 
  • Ten cloves of each: black pepper and cardamom. 
  • Two cinnamon sticks. 
  • A tablespoon of mixed spices, or the well-known Mansaf spices. 
  • Large onion cut into quarters.
  •  Three bay leaves.

Rice ingredients:

  • Three cups of basmati rice. 
  • A quarter cup of ghee. 
  • Two tablespoons of salt.
  •  A teaspoon of turmeric.
  •  Four and a half cups of water.

How to prepare

The Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat can be prepared by:

  • We wash the rice several times and soak it in water for thirty minutes. 
  • Place the meat and onions in a medium-sized pot and cover with water. 
  • Boil the meat over high heat until it boils, then skim the foam from the surface of the water. 
  • Add cardamom, cinnamon, laurel, salt, black pepper, and spices.
  •  Cover the pot, and boil the meat for two hours over medium heat, then filter the meat, and leave the broth aside. 
  • Place the milk, curdled milk, starch dissolved in water, and turmeric in a medium-sized pot.
  •  Beat the ingredients with a wire whisk until they become smooth, then place the pot over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the milk begins to boil.
  •  Add a cup of meat broth to the milk, and leave the mixture to boil for ten minutes.
  •  Add the meat to the soup, and leave it to boil until the meat absorbs the taste of the soup.
  •  Place the ghee in a medium-sized pot until it melts, then put the rice in it and stir for three minutes. 
  • We add salt and turmeric to the rice, stir it, then add water and cover the pot to cook the rice for thirty minutes over low heat. 
  • Place the ragag bread in a wide tray, then distribute a little soup, and cover it with rice. 
  • Decorate the mansaf with fried nuts and parsley, and pour the soup into a deep bowl.

Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat and grits


While many people enjoy eating mansaf with rice, some enjoy eating it with grits. The Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat and grits can be presented as follows:

  • A kilo of meat.
  • 2 and a half cups of grits.
  • Large onion.
  • 2 tablespoons of ghee.
  • Hell.
  • cinnamon.
  • Bay leaf.
  • clove. 
  • Stock cube.
  • oil.
  • Amount of water.

How to prepare

We can prepare the Jordanian mansaf recipe with meat and grits through the following steps:

  • We put a pot on the fire and add oil and ghee to it.
  • We can add spices and onions and stir until the onions change color together.
  • Season the water with salt and black pepper, pour the water, and leave the meat until it is cooked.
  • We put the grits in another pot with the ghee and stir over the fire, then add the meat broth and season with salt over the fire until it is cooked.
  • The meat is fried in ghee until its color changes to golden.
  • Finally, we scoop the grits into a serving dish, arrange the meat on top, and enjoy eating it with family and friends.

Yogurt ingredients

Yogurt is added to the Jordanian Mansaf recipe, but you must know what its ingredients are through the following:

  • One and a half kilograms of plain yogurt or mixed with cow’s milk.
  • Add two tablespoons of starch.
  • Two cups of curdled milk.
  • Put a quarter kilo of water.
  • Add half a teaspoon of mansaf spices or mixed spices.
  • We add a teaspoon of turmeric.
  • Rigag bread, fried nuts, and chopped parsley for serving.

The Jordanian Mansaf is part of the heritage

Mansaf is the Jordanian national dish whose origins are linked to an ancient war and historical development. It has survived for thousands of years in Jordan. It is a symbol of authenticity and hospitality and is also the favorite dish of Jordanians in the holy month of Ramadan. Mansaf is described as the master of the Jordanian table. Mansaf is a famous dish in More than one country, but its foundation and origin is from Jordan.

Origin of Mansaf

Mansaf is historically linked to Jordan through an incident narrated about King Mesha, one of the kings of the Kingdom of Moab, which was founded in the thirteenth century BC and lasted until the fourth century BC, and whose borders extended on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea from the city of Karak to Shobak, where the center of King Mesha’s rule was. In Karak, he knew well that the Jews did not eat meat cooked with milk, according to their law derived from the Torah. He wanted to test the loyalty of his Moabite people in the war against the Hebrews in the battle that took place in the ninth century BC, so he asked his people to cook meat with milk, and his people responded to his request.

Part of the heritage and hospitality

Mansaf is a meal with special standards and special rituals, and also for people who have special relationships, meaning that it is presented along with a specific protocol for hospitality, method of presentation and arrangement. Dealing with the guest is according to the level of reception, farewell method, and method of serving food. For example, the head of the sacrifice is presented on the largest sider for the elder of the people, and sometimes the head. The sacrifice is complete so that the guest feels that he has received the greatest and most generous honor. Traditionally, between 12 and 14 people share in eating from the large Mansaf Sidr. They also use their right hand while their left hand remains behind their back, but meals are often served individually.

List of cultural heritage

It is noteworthy that last December, Al-Mansaf was included on the list of intangible cultural heritage (living) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and all its components are produced locally. It is famous, for example, Al-Jameed Al-Karak, in reference to the Karak Governorate, located 118 kilometers south of Amman. And Al-Balqawi ghee, in reference to Al-Balqa Governorate, which is about 30 kilometers northwest of Amman.

Nutritional advice


With the spread of white rice in recent decades, mansaf has become prepared only with rice, forming a dish rich in fat and poor in fibre. Here are the most important health tips for preparing mansaf:

  • To prepare mansaf in a healthy way, replace the rice with garisha or brown rice.
  • Replace white bread with bread made from whole wheat flour.
  • Use red meat free of fats that cause narrowing of the arteries.
  • You should be aware that mansaf will not be a good source of calcium, as the presence of iron in meat and cooking it with milk will prevent each other from being absorbed.
  • Mansaf may not be suitable for you if you suffer from problems such as high acidity.
  • Calculate the portion of carbohydrates in the dish to maintain your blood sugar level.

At the end of this article, we learned about the Jordanian mansaf recipe and the basic ingredients for its preparation, in addition to some information about the heritage of this popular meal and some nutritional advice needed when eating it.