You then take jameed and mix it with cheese so that it becomes liquid again. You then top the mansaf with this liquid and finish up the dish with pine nuts and a small piece of bread called shrak. Finally, you eat up!
Some people prepare mansaf in their kitchens. Others have a different approach--"mansaf in a cup" is one such. This is a new idea in Jordan's food scene, and Jordanians are mixed about how they feel about the change. Some people like "mansaf in a cup" because it's easy to eat and cheap, but others think it isn't traditional enough. The New York Times even wrote a story about it. It's a big debate!
The quality of your mansaf depends on the quality of your jameed. I've heard that the best jameed comes from Karak, a city in southern Jordan. The cows there are exposed to a very green and fresh environment. For this reason, the jameed they make has deeper flavors.
Also, making mansaf itself uses a lot of water, which is very scarce in Jordan. It takes a lot of water to wash the rice, cook the meat and to make the jameed sauce! This creates an interesting struggle between traditional processes and modern problems. I wonder, does Jordan need a different way to make mansaf?
