Mensaf is one of the most popular dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is commonly made with lamb meat placed on top of a bed of rice and very thin bread that is then covered in a yogurt sauce and garnished with slivered almonds and parsley. However, call me crazy, but I am not a fan of kharouf, or lamb meat. So instead, I decided to substitute that for chicken. I promise you, it's amazing! Give it a shot, and you won't be disappointed.
I love to garnish with some sauteed almonds and fresh parsley for a nice crunch and added flavors.
The yogurt soup can also be served on the side of the rice dish instead of directly on top.
It has been years since I have been able to properly enjoy mensaf, and I'm so glad it's been reintroduced to my life. Since I was younger, I have not been a fan of certain meats, lamb being one of them. Because of that, I never got to really enjoy mensaf and I always felt like I was missing out when everyone would dive into that big plate of it. I've always heard that chicken mensaf was not even comparable, but a friend of mine erased those doubts and had me try it. I was in love again!
Although a lot of you may think this isn't true mensaf, to me it is. The yellow fluffy rice that sits on a thin layer of bread, covered in a slightly sour yet creamy yogurt soup just warms my belly right up. For me, it's all about presentation as well, so not only do I boil the chicken, I also broil it in the oven to gain some color and a nice texture on the skin. Topped off with almonds and parsley, I can easily have this dish once a week. Trust me, you won't regret this!
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4-6 People
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour
INGREDIENTS:
For the Yogurt Sauce:
32 oz. Plain Whole Milk Yogurt (I prefer Dannon)
2 Packets of Jameed Soup Starter
For the Chicken:
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut in half
1 Cinnamon Stick
3-4 Cloves
2 Cardamom Pods
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. Salt
4 cups of Water
1 Cube Maggi Chicken Bullion
Salt and Pepper, to taste
For the Rice:
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. Salt
2 cups Basmati Rice, soaked and rinsed
Other Ingredients:
Thin Pita Bread
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, removed from stems
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a blender, add 16 oz. of the plain yogurt and 1 packet of the jameed soup starter until you get a smooth consistency, about 20 seconds. If it is too thick, you can add a bit of water (a few tablespoons) and blend some more. Don't add too much because we'll be adding the chicken broth later. Add the contents to a large pot and blend the other half of the yogurt and jameed. Add that to the pot.
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and continuously stir until it reaches a boil, about 15 minutes. This task is tedious but extremely necessary that you keep stirring so it doesn't burn.
In the meantime, add the chicken breast, 4 cups of water, and add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, and teaspoon of salt to a pot. Cover the pot and bring the contents to a boil over medium heat. Continue to allow the chicken to fully cook and soften for 20-25 minutes. Remove the chicken and place the broth back on the stove. Add in the maggi and the salt and pepper and bring to a rolling boil.
Once the yogurt sauce is boiling (I like to add mensaf spice at this time, which is also optional), and the chicken broth is at a low boil, add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time to the yogurt sauce. After each cup is added, stir the sauce and taste test to your preference. I like mine more sour so I add about 1-2 cups of broth and discard the rest. Set aside the sauce while you make the rice.
In a large pot, add the oil, turmeric, salt, and 4 cups of water. Bring that to a boil and add in your soaked and rinsed basmati rice. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Once all of the water has evaporated, take a fork and fluff the rice. Set it aside for assembly.
Optional: Drizzle some olive oil over the chicken breast and broil on low right before serving.
In a small skillet, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and saute the almonds for 3-4 minutes until golden.
To serve, Place a layer of thin pita bread on the bottom of a flat plate. Scoop some rice and lay that on top of the bread. Add the yogurt sauce on top of the rice and bread (as much as you prefer), and top that with the chicken. Garnish with almonds and parsley and serve immediately. I like to add a bowl of the yogurt soup to enjoy on the side as well with the meal.
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