Chicken Mandi

Chicken Mandi served with dakkoos(Tomato Sauce)



Mandi (Arabic: مندي‎) is a traditional dish originated from Hadhramaut, Yemen, consisting mainly of meat and rice with a special blend of spices. It is cooked in a pit underground. It's extremely popular and prevalent in most areas of the Arabian Peninsula, and even considered a staple dish in many regions. It's also found in Egypt, the Levant, and Turkey.
It is also popular among the Hadhrami people in the Malabar region of Kerala, Bhatkal of Karnataka, as well as Barkas and areas around Hyderabad, India.
Mandi is usually made from rice, meat (lamb, camel, goat or chicken), and a mixture of spices called Hawaij. The meat used is usually a young and small sized lamb to enhance the taste further.
The main technique which differentiates Mandi from other meat dishes is that the meat is cooked in the tandoor (taboon in Arabic), which is a special kind of oven which is usually a pit dug up in the ground and covered with clay all around its sides.
Mandi is considered the staple dish served during special events, such as Eid, weddings, and feasts in Yemen and the south of the Saudi Arabia.

I made this in my oven

INGREDIENTS 

Chicken (skin on) - 1 (800-900g) 

For Marinade 

• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp. 
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp. 
• Dried lime powder - ½ tsp. 
• Paprika powder - 1 tsp. 
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp. 
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp. 
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp. 
• Salt - as needed 

Basmati Rice - 2 cups 
Water - 4 cups 
Onion - 1 medium 
Carrot - 1 grated 
Capsicum - few slices 
Olive oil - as needed 

Whole Spices 

• Bay leaf - 1 
• Cinnamon stick -1 inch 
• Cloves - 3-4 
• Cardamom - 3-4 
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp. 
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp. 
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp. 
• Pepper corns - 1 tsp. 
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp. 
• Knor chicken stock - ½ cube 
• Salt 

Garnish(Optional) 

Fried onions, raisins and nuts 

Rose water, Orange blossom water and Saffron 

DIRECTIONS

• Marinate the Chicken. 
• Wash, rinse and soak the rice for 15 min. 
• Preheat the oven. 
• Heat olive oil in a pan and add the spices. 
• Add chopped onions and sauté until it starts browning. 
• Add salt, Capsicum and sauté. 
• Add rice and mix well. 
• Transfer into greased oven dish , add carrots, garam masala, chicken cube and some raisins, adjust the salt as well. 
• Pour hot boiling water and mix well. 
• Place a wire rack over the dish( not touching the rice). 
• Place the chicken on the wire rack so that the greased from the chicken drips into the rice 
• Bake in the oven at 200°C -220°C for 1 to 1½ hours. 
• Garnish and Serve. 

DAKKOOS

Saute 3-4 garlic coves and 3 tomatoes in olive oil. Blend it adding little water. Add salt, paprika powder, little dried lime powder and chopped parsley and bring to boil .