Chicken mandi is a popular and traditional dish that has become one of Saudi Arabia’s most beloved dishes. The word mandi comes from the Arabic word nada, which means to dew, like showing the meat being tender. This cooking process, where the meat and rice are carefully cooked in a tandoor with a hole dug in the ground and covered, dates back centuries and illustrates the original adaptations of said cuisine to the harsh desert climate. It focuses on the significant role meat, especially lamb, plays in Saudi meals.

Chicken Mandi Ingredients:

Basmati rice, 2 cups

Chicken or lamb, 1 kg

Mandi Spice Mix, 1 tablespoon

Onion chopped 1

Cloves of Garlic 4 minced

Chopped tomatoes 4

Salt to taste

Hot water, 4 cups

Ghee 2 tablespoons

Chicken Mandi Instructions:

Marinate the meat with Mandi spice and mix salt for at least 2 hours.

In a vessel, cook the onions in ghee until golden.

Add the tomatoes and garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Add the marinated meat and cook on all sides.

Add the hot water and rice to the pot, cover, and cook until the rice is soft and the water is absorbed.

Fluff the rice with a spoon before serving, and Mandi is ready to be enjoyed.

Tip:

Mandi is traditionally served with hot sauce and refreshing tomato-cucumber salad.