chicken mandi recipe

Mandi is a traditional Saudi Arabia (Gulf) dish. It can be made with lamb or chicken with rice.
Ingredients for chicken:

•  4 - 6 pieces chicken
• 2 tbsp Mandi mix spice
• 1 tsp Salt

1. Rub salt and the mandi mix spices thoroughly on the chicken.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

How to make Mandi mix spice:

• 1tbsp Cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp Cloves
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• ½ Nutmeg
• ½ tbsp Ginger paste
• 2 Bay leaves

1. Blend  spices together until finely crushed.
2. Place the chicken in a frying pan and then cook without any oil or water till it’s cooked from the inside and turns brown from the outside.

Ingredients for rice:

• 1 ½ cups Basmati rice
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 small Onion  (finely chopped)
• 1 small Tomato (finely chopped)
• 4 Whole cardamom
• 4 Whole cloves
• 6 Black peppercorns
• 2 cups Chicken stock
• ½ tsp Yellow food color

Directions:

1. Saute onion with butter until tender and brown, add whole spices, salt, rice and chicken stock. Now stir, boil then add chopped tomato. Place chicken over the rice then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook (do not remove lid) for 25 minutes.
   For serving:
   • Place chicken in a bowl and put a small piece of foil (enough so that a coal piece can be placed over it easily, without touching the chicken) in the center.
   • Now place a red hot coal onto the foil and drop 1 tsp oil over it and shut its lid.
   • Remove coal and foil and pour rice around chicken pieces
   
2. Served with Cucumber Raita or yogurt dip.