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Lamb Mansaf
Lamb Mansaf
Lamb mansaf is a traditional Arab lamb and rice dish eaten all over the Middle East, but also happens to be the national dish of Jordan where it originated. Lamb is sautéed with onions, garlic, and spices; then simmered for a while, creating a stock. It is then strained and cooked with yogurt and some of the stock. The majority of the stock is used to cook basmati rice in. The rice is spread out on a big serving platter. The lamb and yougurt sauce is put over the bed of rice. It is then topped with an assortment of nuts sufh as pine nuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios. The whole platter is garnished with freshly chopped mint and parsley. A lot of work, but unbelievably tasty!
Ingredients
Lamb Stock
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut into 1” cubes
- 4 cups water
Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice washed and rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups lamb stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Lamb Mansaf
- simmered lamb cubes
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup lamb stock
Toasted Nut Topping
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup cashews
Garnish
- 1/4 cup mint chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
Instructions
Lamb Stock
- Heat up the olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add in the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Add in the lamb and briefly brown for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for an hour.
- Strain the stock from the meat.
- Seat the meat aside.
Rice
- Soak the rice for an hour while the stock is simmering. Drain.
- Add the rice to a pot with 2 1/2 cups of the reserved stock. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the stock is absorbed.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Lamb Mansaf
- Add the strained lamb, Greek yogurt, and 1 cup of lamb stock to a sauté pan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods.
Toasted Nut Topping
- Add the nuts to a small skillet over medium heat. Dry toast the nuts for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Chicharron de Pescado
Chicharron de Pescado
This is a great way to prepare fried fish, Peruvian-style. I used walleye, but tilapia, catfish, snapper, cod, or haddock are suitable substitutes. The two main flavor profiles come from the adobo seasoning and the aji amarillo paste used to marinate the fish. You can deep fry the fish, but I feel that’s a waste of oil. I like to pan fry in an inch of oil. Depending on the thickness of the fish, it will take 4-5 minutes a side to cook through. Serve the fish with lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 1 lb walleye fillets cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning with pepper
- 1 tsp aji amarillo paste
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg beaten with 2 tsp water
- vegetable oil for frying
Garnish
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix together the lemon juice, garlic, 1 tsp adobo seasoning, and aji amarillo paste.
- Marinate the fish fillets for 30 minutes.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch, and 1 tsp adobo seasoning. Dredge the fish in the flour, then the egg wash, then back in the flour.
- Heat up 1” deep of oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook the fish in 2 batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pan.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes a side. Drain grease on a rack.
Vegetable Madras Curry
Vegetable Madras Curry
When most people think of Indian curry, this is what they are generalizing. Madras curry is a popular South Indian dish consisting of a variety of vegetables in a soupy curry sauce made from madras curry powder, onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Serve the curry with steamed basmati rice and parathas.
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp ginger minced
- 4 tbsp madras curry powder
- 4 roma tomatoes diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 bunch spinach chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in the curry powder and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the stock. Add in the cauliflower and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and peas. Cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
