MANDI RECIPE: Ingredients, Instruction and Cooking Guide

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Mandi is the famous dish in the Arab countries, and it is a traditional dish of Yemen made with Chicken or Lamb. The Mandi recipe is very traditional to make it tender and tasteful perfectly. This dish has the alluring taste and is served over fragrant basmati rice is like icing on the cake.

The chicken is slowly cooked in a tandoor or oven, making the meat extremely tender and delicious. Food lovers search for authentic Mandi recipe, and we are here to fulfill the wish. There will be many authentic Chicken Mandi Recipe but here is the simple steps mention below. 

Mandi is the mild dish and healthy too. This recipe is not spicy. The flavor of basmati rice makes it more aromatic and authentic in flavor and fragrance as we all know that basmati rice is the longest rice and has a mesmerizing aroma. Basmati rice makes every dish special. So the Mandi with basmati rice is an authentic treat for food lovers.

Hawaij is the spice rub or mix used to marinate the chicken. Question arise i.e. how to make Mandi spices. This mix comprises coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, whole black peppercorns roasted to make powder. The chicken is marinated for 4 hours and kept in the refrigerator to coat the marination over the chicken properly. 

Slowly cook the chicken in the oven on the wire rack and place it over the rice pot. In this way, the Mandi dish is ready to serve. Now go for the deep elaboration of the recipe steps:

EASY CHICKEN MANDI RECIPE:

PREP TIME: 4 minutes

COOK TIME: 2 hours

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 4 minutes

SERVING: 6 people

INGREDIENTS:

FOR MAKING HAWAIJ SPICE MIX:

  • Coriander seeds: 1/6 cup
  • Cumin seeds: 1/6 cup
  • Whole Black Peppercorns: 1/8 cup
  • Whole Cardamom: 1 tbsp
  • Whole Cloves: 1 tbsp
  • Whole Cinnamon: 2-inch slice

FOR MARINATING CHICKEN:

  • Whole Chicken: 1.5 Kg
  • Hawaij Spice: 2 tbsp
  • Butter melted: 3 tbsp
  • Turmeric Powder: ½ tbsp
  • Ground pepper: ½ to 1 tbsp
  • Salt: 2 to 3 tbsp

FOR MAKING AUTHENTIC BASMATI RICE:

  • Basmati Rice: 2.5 cups 
  • Oil: 1.5 tbsp
  • Onion chopped: 1
  • Whole cardamom pods: 3
  • Whole cinnamon: 2-inch slice
  • Bay leaves: 3 
  • Green chilies: 4 to 5 
  • Whole black peppercorns: 1 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder: ¼ tbsp
  • Saffron strands: 1 tbsp soaked
  • Water: 4.5 cups
  • Salt to taste

INSTRUCTION:

1. In a saucepan, the entire ingredient roast properly t make the hawaij spice mix over medium heat for 3 minutes or until it is aromatic. Be careful not to burn the spices.

2. After cooling down the spices, grind them to make a fine paste. 

3. Combine 2 tbsp Hawaii or spice mix with half tbsp turmeric powder, ground pepper, salt, and butter.

4. Spread the spice mix on the chicken and also over the chicken and also inside it. 

5. Then place the chicken in a bowl and wrap in the plastic and refrigerate it for 4 hours and overnight. 

MAKING RICE:

  1. Dip the saffron in the water for an hour
  2. Over medium heat, place a large pot and add oil.
  3. Add onion, sprinkle salt and cook till translucent. 
  4. Remove the pot from the heat.
  5. Add whole spices, i.e., cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, peppercorns, green chilies, turmeric powder, rice, water, and enough salt. Then combine all of that. 

BAKING THE CHICKEN AND RICE:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F
  2. Put a wire rack over the pot with rice, and Put the marinated chicken breast side down on the wire rack. In this way, make sure the pot is larger than the chicken.
  3. Put the pot with the chicken on the lower rack in the preheated oven.
  4. cook for 15 minutes at 425 F
  5. After 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 325F and cook the chicken and rice for one hour. 
  6. After an hour, gently flip the chicken and again cook for another 45 minutes or till the chicken has browned and cooked well inside.
  7. Slowly cook the chicken at 325 F for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cooking time varies based on the size and quality of the chicken.
  8. Take the rice and chicken out from the oven. Let the chicken cool down.
  9. Add the saffron to the rice and combine well. Saffron makes it more authentic and flavorful.
  10. If you think that rice is not properly cooked then, you cook on the gas or stovetop to cook it properly. 
  11. Spread the rice over the platter, and place the chicken over the rice.
  12. Garnish with roasted almonds.
  13. Enjoy the traditional Mandi recipe with your friends and family.

COOK ON STOVE GAS:

  • In a large pan, cover the marinated chicken in the large pan
  • Rotate the chicken every 30 seconds and cook the chicken until it become earthy in color.
  • Take a separate pan and cooked the rice in it. Add chicken stock in place of water to make it more flavorful. 

To get the perfect texture basmati rice for your mandi recipe, you can easily contact us without any hassle. Being one of the top basmati rice exporters, we value our clients and serve the best of our products. Feel free to mail or contact us.

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