Name: Saudi Chicken Mandi
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: سعودية
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, halved; 3 cups basmati rice, soaked; 2 large onions, chopped; 4 tomatoes, grated; 2 tbsp ready-made mandi spice mix; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 cardamom pods; 2 dried black lime (loomi); 1 tsp saffron soaked in rose water; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; Salt to taste; 1 small charcoal piece for smoking; 1 tbsp ghee

Slow-cooked chicken over fragrant cardamom-and-cinnamon basmati rice, finished with authentic charcoal smoke.

خطوات التحضير

Rub the chicken pieces with half the spice mix and salt; rest 30 minutes.

Sauté onions in oil until soft, add tomatoes and remaining spices, cook until thickened.

Add soaked rice with 5 cups hot water, cinnamon, cardamom, and dried lime; simmer on low heat.

Roast the chicken in a hot oven (220°C/430°F) for 35-40 minutes until well browned.

Before serving, place a lit charcoal piece in a small bowl set into the rice, drizzle with ghee, and cover tightly for 5 minutes to absorb the smoky aroma.

Plate the rice on a large platter, top with chicken pieces, and finish with a drizzle of saffron water.

نصيحة

Keep the lid sealed during the smoking step so the aroma doesn't escape. If charcoal isn't available, a drop of food-grade liquid smoke can substitute.

Mandi is one of the most storied dishes of the Hejaz and Yemen, and it has become so beloved in Saudi Arabia that it now anchors weddings and family gatherings nationwide. Authentically, mandi meat is cooked in an underground pit over charcoal, with the rendered fat dripping down onto the rice below to infuse it with a deep smoky aroma.

This home version uses the simple «charcoal smoking» technique to recreate that same signature aroma without digging a pit, while keeping the traditional spicing intact: mandi spice blend, cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron.