Mansaf

Step 1: Put 3 ⅓ lb lamb shoulder on the bone in a large pan with 8 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil and skim off the grey foam for 5 minutes. Add 1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 4 green cardamom pods and 1 tsp salt, cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours until the lamb is almost tender.

Step 2: If using yogurt and labneh, whisk them smooth with 1 tbsp cornflour and ½ tsp salt. Pour 2 cups liquid jameed (or the yogurt mix) into a large clean pan and warm over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly in one direction, for 10 minutes until it is hot and just starting to bubble. A common mistake is heating it fast and leaving it: the yogurt splits into grainy curds.

Step 3: Lift the lamb into the yogurt sauce with a slotted spoon and ladle in about 500 ml of the strained lamb broth. Keep stirring until it returns to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 30–40 minutes until the lamb falls easily from the bone and the sauce is the consistency of single cream.

Step 4: While the lamb finishes, melt 1 ⅜ oz ghee or butter in a pan, stir in 14 oz long-grain rice and ½ tsp ground turmeric for 1 minute, then add 700 ml of the remaining lamb broth (top up with water) and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then rest off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Fry 1 ¾ oz blanched almonds and 1 oz pine nuts in ⅔ oz ghee or butter over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 6: Lay 2 sheets shrak or thin markook bread on a large tray and moisten it with a few ladles of the jameed sauce. Spread the rice on top and arrange the lamb over it.

Step 7: Spoon more sauce over the lamb, scatter with the nuts and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, and serve the rest of the hot sauce in a bowl alongside for pouring.