Mandi Rice| Kabsa| Mandhi Rice| Kuzhi Mandhi

Mandi is a method of preparing Kabsa as per Yemenis style. This is a method of cooking meat inside a tandoor|oven (or rather a hole dug in the ground and covered inside by clay). To cook mandi, dry wood is placed indide the tandoor and burned to generate heat turning into charcoal. Then the meat is kept inside the oven and allowed to cook in a closed condition. The term Mandi originates from Arabic because of the dewy soft and moist texture of the meat. Mandi is a rice dish with meat and the spices. The meat usually Lamb or chicken. It is a very popular dish in all Arabic countries. There are many variations found in the preparation of Kabsa. The amount of spice added to the preparation varies. Mandi| Kabsa is considered the main dish served during special events, such as Eid, weddings, and feasts.

 Lets see how to prepare this yummy festive mandi easily at home with out a tandoor. 

INGREDIENTS:

Basmathi Rice- 4 cups

Chicken with skin-1.2 kg

Mandi spice mix- 1 tablespoon

Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon

lemon- 1/2

Dry lemon- 1-2

Salt- to taste

ghee|butter- 1 tablespoons

oil-1 tablespoons

cinnamon, cardamom and cloves- 3 pieces each

Onion, chopped- 2 large

Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Dry ginger powder- 1 teaspoon

Mandi Spice Mix:

cumin seeds- 1/2 tablespoons

coriander seeds- 1 tablespoons

cinnamon- 3-4  one inch pieces

cardamom-5

cloves-5

nutmeg-1/2

dry Ginger- 1 big piece (2 inch)

bay leaf- 2

peppercorns- 1/2 tablespoons

For Tomato Chutney:
tomatoes- 3
green chillies-3
garlic-4 cloves
salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

For Mandi Spice Powder:

• Slightly roast the spices till the aroma arises and when you touch (to check) the spices should be hot. Do not over roast it.
• Finely powder it in a blender jar and transfer it to an air tight container.

For Meat Marination:

• Wash and cut the chicken into half if you wish.
• Take a tablespoon of mandi spice, add turmeric, salt and mix well. Rub the spice mix over the chicken.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and apply thoroughly all over the chicken.
• Allow to marinate 2-3 hours.

For Stock and Rice preparation:

• Soak the rice for 30 minutes.
• In a deep wide pan add a tablespoon of ghee and oil together;  Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
• Now add the onion with some salt and cook till soft. Now add the marinated meat and cook the meat in high flame; Brown the meat for 3 minutes.
• Add a teaspoon of red chilli powder and dry ginger powder and mix well and add 5 cups of water(extra one cup to compensate the evaporation loss while cooking chicken), 1/2 tablespoon of mandi spice powder, 2 dry lemon, 2 green chillies and salt to taste.
• Close with a lid and cook till the meat cooks well (around 20-30 minutes)on medium flame. If you are planning to brown the skin on oven 20 minutes is enough.
• Remove the meat from the stock and add the rice. close with a lid and cook till the rice is done.
• I have browned the skin of the meat further in a preheated 180 degree oven  for 20 minutes.(this step is optional, people donot have oven can skip this step)
• You could bake the rice too if you have a oven proof vessel while browning the skin of the chicken. Or else simmer on top of flame and cook the rice. 
• Finally arrange the meat inside the rice pot and if you wish to get a smoky flavour, keep a small bowl and keep a piece of charcoal and add quarter teaspoon of ghee and close with a tight lid.(optional)
• Before serving garnish the dish with almonds|pine nuts| cashewnuts, raisins and fried onions.

For Tomato Chutney:

• Roughly chop tomatoes, green chilies and garlic; add inside the blender jar with some salt.
• Blend to make a slightly coarse paste.
• Add 1/4 cup of water if you find the consistency of the chutney thick.

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Mangalore Buns

Mangalore Buns| Banana Buns| Mangalore sweet buns| Mangalore sweet Pooris is a tasty snack recipe from Karnataka. These fried buns have the bread like texture when it is opened, so it is called banana buns. These buns have the bread like texture and pooris like hallow inside. If you keep the dough over night it will fluff up very well and puff up like pooris. Here i gave 3-4 hours of raising time so some of my pooris only puffed up well. But it tastes great when it a thick coconut chutney.

Generally well ripe bananas are being used for this recipe. Best way to use the leftover ripe bananas. It tastes similar to the Kerala Bonda, and i personally felt each state has its variation.

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour- 3 cups+ 1/2 cup
Banana-2
Yogurt- 1/4 cup
Sugar- 1/4 cup
Salt- 1 teaspoon
Baking soda- 1 teaspoon
Oil- for frying

PROCEDURE:

• Peel and mash the bananas using fork or in a blender jar.
• In a deep bowl add the mashed banana, sugar, yogurt and salt. Mix well.
• Now add the flour little by little till you get a soft chapati dough consistency.
• Grease the outside of the dough with little oil and cover it and allow to ferment for 3 hours to overnight. 
• The buns puffs up depends on the time you give for fermentation.  As i was in a hurry i made the buns with in one hour so i could not get the buns so puffy.
• Heat oil in a pan and start to roll the dough. Pinch a small lemon sized ball and roll well and then spread the dough as a 2-3 mm thick disc.
• Drop the discs inside the hot oil and fry in low flame till golden colour.
• While frying using a slotted spoon slightly push the oil on top of the buns which aids puffing up the buns.
• Note: You could use half wheat flour and maida for this recipe.

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Masala Sweet Corn| Sweet Corn Chaat

Masala Sweet Corn| Spicy Sweet Corn| Masala cup corn| Masala cup of corn| Corn Chaat is a healthy and tasty snack. It is one of the popular street food found all over the world. It is a variation of buttered steamed corn. Whenever we go for shopping spree we make sure not to miss this steaming hot spicy delicacy. Initially I didn't know how to make the spice mixture that goes with it and we used to buy it. Recently I tried my hand in this masala mix and it came out so well that it looked &  tasted same like the corn from the mall kiosks. So making a quick evening snack is nowadays has become quite easy. Just heat up the frozen corn and just sprinkle the masala mix, Add a teaspoon of butter and  drizzle a dash of lemon juice. Tasty healthy yummy snack is ready!

INGREDIENTS:
Fresh boiled corn| Frozen Corn- 1 cup
Masala Mix- 1/2 teaspoon (add according to your spice level)
Butter- 1/2-1 teaspoon
Lemon juice- 1 teaspoon

For the masala mix:
Red Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Salt- 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Chaat masala- 1/2 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Masala Mix: Add all the ingredients mentioned above; mix well with spoon and transfer it to a pepper salt shaker.
• You can use freshly boiled corn or frozen corn for this recipe.
• If you are using frozen corn you could steam the corn inside the steamer for huge quantity or microwave it for one to two minutes.
• Now sprinkle the masala as per your taste and spice to your preferred level of tolerance.
• Add half to one teaspoon of butter per cup of corn and drizzle the lemon juice.
• Mixwell and serve hot.

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