Homestyle Chicken Mandi

This recipe of Chicken Mandi is a traditional Arabic you can make in a homestyle way without any oven to get the same authentic taste as a restaurant.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Arabic

Keyword Chicken, Rice

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 40

Soaking Time 1

Total Time 2 40

Servings 4

Author Shanaz Rafiq

Equipment

Saucepan

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
500 grams of chicken pieces
1 teaspoon turmeric powder for rice

For the mandi spice mix:

2 tablespoon cumin seeds
6 cardamom pieces
3 pieces cinnamon sticks of 1 inch each
8 cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

For marinating chicken:

2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon mandi spice mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon cooking oil to cook chicken

For the mandi rice:

1- inch piece of cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom
5 cloves
4 small bay leaves
1 medium onion sliced
2 dry lemon substitute - lemon juice
2 big size non-spicy green chilies substitute - green capsicum
2 or 3 pieces of chicken with bones
2 tablespoon mandi spice mix
1 teaspoon salt
4 ½ cups of freshwater to cook rice
4 slices of tomato optional
1 charcoal
1 teaspoon ghee or butter

For the Dakkous -Tomato chutney for mandi

2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 green chilies
1 small onion sliced optional
2 large ripe tomatoes
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoon olive oil

For garnish:

Fried onion green chilies, raisins, pine seeds

Instructions

2 cups of basmati rice thoroughly. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder to the washed rice and soak in water for 1 hour. Turmeric is added to give a golden color to the rice grain.

For the mandi spice mix

In a pan dry roast 2 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, cool and transfer it to a dry grinder. Then add 6 cardamom pieces, 3 pieces cinnamon sticks of 1 inch each, 8 cloves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and 3 bay leaves. Grind to a smooth powder. Remove in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Mix well and set aside.

For the mandi chicken

Marinate chicken pieces with salt, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of mandi spice mix, and olive oil for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan and fry the chicken pieces on high heat for 5 minutes until all juices are sealed. Reduce the flame, add 1 cup hot water, place the lid and cook until chicken is fully done.

To cook mandi rice

Discard the turmeric water gently from the rice. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves. Then add 1 medium onion sliced and fry till soft. Add dry lemon, 2 large non-spicy green chilies, 2 pieces of chicken with bones (to give chicken flavor to the rice), 2 tablespoon mandi spice mix, and 1 teaspoon salt, Stir well for 3 minutes on high heat and then add 4 ¼ cups of water and any water remaining from mandi chicken. Place the lid and cook until chicken is fully done. Remove chicken pieces and add soaked rice to the saucepan. Stir gently, cover, and cook until the rice is well cooked and all water has dried. You can place slices of tomato on top while cooking rice and later remove and use it for garnish.
Once the rice is cooked, place mandi chicken on the rice in the same saucepan. Place a small bowl with hot burning charcoal. Pour 1 teaspoon ghee over the coal and place the lid tightly. Fumigate the mandi rice and chicken for 15 to 20 minutes.

For dakkous

Roughly grind together chopped garlic, chopped green chilies, onion, and tomato. It should not be a smooth paste but leave it slightly chunky. Grind in the ‘pulse’ mode. Remove in a bowl and add salt, olive oil, and chopped parsley.

To serve

Place the mandi rice on a large serving dish, garnish with fried onion, fried green chilies, fried raisins, and fried pine seeds. Place chicken pieces on the rice and serve hot with dakkous.