Chicken Mansaf and Grape Leaves

I made an Arabic meal Thursday night and wanted to share it: This is what I found from the internet http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/124417-dried-yogurt/#top

Lamb or Chicken Mansaf
Anyway, I don't have a recipe, but here's the general procedure. Since this is a dish that can be made to serve few or many, I'm not going to give proportions. However, if you've ever eaten mansaf, then you'll have a good idea of how much of each component to use.

1. Simmer lamb (shoulder is best, cut into cubes of 3" or so) or chicken (bone-in) pieces with onions (halved or quartered -- it doesn't matter) and garlic (smashed -- no need to chop) in enough water to cover by a few inches. You can add packaged "mansaf seasoning" or add whatever Middle Eastern seasonings you like (cumin, coriander, etc.). If using chicken (or at least the plumped-up American chickens to which I'm accustomed), I like the Chinese poaching method, which is to bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let it sit, covered and undisturbed, for an hour. This method keeps the chicken tender and succulent. If using lamb, simmer on low heat for roughly 2 hours, until meat is fork-tender (you may need more time if your lamb is tough -- use your judgment). Skim any foam that comes to the surface as the lamb simmers. Also skim off any fat that rises to the top (the dairy you add later will provide additional fat), unless you prefer the Bedouin style and/or really like grease. :)

1a. While chicken/lamb simmers, prepare some yellow rice. Also chop some parsley and toast some almonds/pine nuts.

2. Remove lamb/chicken from pot and set aside. Strain cooking liquid and return to pot, discarding onion and garlic solids.

3. Add dairy (and maybe acid) to broth to make yogurt sauce/soup. I prefer labneh, or you can use dried yogurt (kishk, jameed, etc.), or plain yogurt and/or sour cream (not as rich, though you can augment it with cream cheese). Adjust salt/pepper and add garlic if desired. If your yogurt/labneh/jameed is not tangy, you will probably need to add acid to make it tangy -- you can use lemon juice or citric acid. However, there is a chance that the acid might curdle the dairy, so either add it at the end, or use a stick blender to smooth it. Also, you may or may not want to thicken the sauce with a small amount of starch or flour slurry. Overall, it should be the consistency of a very thin gravy.

4. Return meat/chicken to pot with yogurt sauce, and let it simmer briefly, while you complete the rest of the dish, in order to absorb some of the yogurt flavor.

5. Prepare your platter(s). Use a large, deep platter -- those round melamine platters, about 2-3" deep, are ubiquitous in the Middle East and perfect for mansaf. Put down a layer of bread. Traditional Bedouin mansaf is made traditional thin Bedouin bread (shrak). Alternatively, you can use cut or torn pieces of any flat or pita bread. Ladle some of the yogurt sauce from the pot onto the bread and allow it to soak.

6. Top bread layer with rice. Arrange meat/chicken pieces on top of rice. Sprinkle parsley and nuts over top. Serve with yogurt sauce/soup -- I like to set out a bowl for each diner.

The Bedouin way of eating mansaf is to gather around the platter and dig in with the clean fingers of the diner's right hand. That's a very messy way of eating! So, another traditional method is for diners to gather around the platter and eat with spoons (etiquette dictates that each diner sticks to his/her own section). But, these days, most people just use individual plates/place settings for each diner. You end up with more dishes to wash afterward, but the dining experience is more hygienic. :)

I also made some vegetarian stuffed grape leaves from a cookbook I got from a friend who used to live here, Gina.

Stuffed Vine Leaves
1/2 c. chick peas
1 lb. fresh tender vine leaves
1 1/2 c. rice
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 4. allspice
1 t. Arabic mixed spice if available
1/3 c. olive oil
juice from 1 lemon
sliced tomatoes
2 large garlic cloves

Prepare a pot of boiling water and quickly cook the grape leaves and remove. Wash and drain rice. Remove skins of chick peas. Mix rice with chick peas, parsley, mint, onion, chopped tomatos, spices, olive oil and lemon juice.

Place leaves, smooth side down, on a plate or a chopping board. Put about 1 teaspoon of rice mixture in the center near the middle and roll up like a small cigar. Don't roll too tightly, leave room for rice to expand during cooking. Continue until you run out of leaves or filing.

Place a layer of sliced tomatoes and garlic cloves in bottom of saucepan. Layer stuffed leaves. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Add boiling water to surface and place a plate on top. Let boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-2 hours (depending on how many you've made) until liquid is obsorbed and rice is ready.

Serve cold with yogurt and extra juice if desired.