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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Broccoli Pulao

       I have previously tried Broccoli Rice in South Indian way and Chinese Style,  Broccoli Fried Rice and I wanted to try the North Indian Pulao version  with this healthy veggie. So today's post is Yummy 'Broccoli Pulav'. I very much wanted to add this veggie in my family diet as it contains so many health benefits. So i am trying out different combinations to see what combo works out with broccoli to suit the Indian Palatte.

      This is an easy to make healthy rice preparation & suits for quick lunch box recipes. I have added peas in this recipe. Adding peas is purely optional. This recipe could be tried with leftover rice too if it is not mushy. One pot meal;tastes really nice when consumed with Onion Raita and Pickle.

INGREDIENTS:

Broccoli, chopped- 1 medium sized head
Basmathi Rice/ Any rice used to prepare rice- 1 cup
Peas, fresh/ frozen- 2 tablespoons (optional)
Cinnamon bark- 2 pieces
Cardamom- 3
Cloves-3
Bay leaf-1
Jeera/ Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Onion, chopped- 1 1/2
Green Chillies, slit-3-4 big
Ginger- 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic- 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tablespoons
Salt- to taste
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Ghee- 1 teaspoon (optional)
Cashews- 5, broken

PROCEDURE:

• Half cook the rice with salt and drain the water and allow to cool.
• Heat oil in a pan and roast the raw gram masala spices cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and  jeera.

• Once you get the roasted aroma of spices, add the onion with green chillies and cook till soft.
• Add ginger,  garlic and cook till the raw smell leaves.
• Add the broccoli, salt and saute for a minute. Add the peas and sprinkle  a tablespoon or two of water; close with a lid and cook for two minutes.
• Now add the garam masala and mix well.

• Add the cooked rice and mix well. Add salt if required and sprinkle with coriander leaves.

• Heat ghee in a pan and roast the cashew nuts till golden and add with the rice and mix well (This step is optional)

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Raw Mango Rice/ Mangai Sadam

        Perfect dish to try during the mango season when mangoes are available in abundance at our home.This variety rice is easy to prepare in minutes. Looks like lemon rice but tastes similar to puliogare/ tamarind rice. This rice can be made with left over rice too.

       This  can be made for lunch box or quick lunch menu. The sour taste of mango goes well with the rice and tastes nice. This dish can be made with any mango variety. But the sour varieties tastes better. You can grate the mangoes or even cut the mangoes in to pieces and grind as a paste with green chillies in blender and can be prepared by following the same procedure.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw Sour Mango, grated-1 big
Rice, Basmathi/ Ponni/ any rice used to prepare lunch- 1 cup
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoons
Channa dhal- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal- 1/2 teaspoon'
Onion, chopped- 1/2
Green chillies, chopped-2
Ginger, chopped- 1/2 teaspoon
Peanuts/groundnut, roasted- 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves- 2 strands
Asafetida- pinch
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Half cook the rice with salt and drain the excess water. Roast peanuts and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds; when it starts to splutter add channa dhal and urad dhal and roast till the colour changes to golden brown. 

• Add the onion and green chillies; cook till translucent in medium flame; now  turn the flame to low and add ginger and cook for thirty seconds. Add the roasted peanuts, curry leaves and asafetida; roast for a minute till the oil gets flovoured with the smell of curry leaves.

• Add the grated raw mango and salt saute in that oil for a minute. Add turmeric powder and saute in the same oil. Add two tablespoon of water to prevent the turmeric getting burnt.

• Now add the rice and mix well and allow the rice to get warm. Check the salt and add if required;switch off the gas.

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Vangi Bhath/ Egg Plant Rice/ Brinjal Rice

        Vangi Bhath or Eggplant Rice is a popular variety rice from Karnataka. When in Bangalore I got to savour this delicious rice and i have become a great fan of it. This dish generally is served with thick coconut chutney,  papat and raita.

       After marriage i dont know the right mix of masalas to prepare this rice dish  and was initially making it with ready mix powders and did not like the taste much. Once i got the right proportion of ingredients, i tried this dish again and it has now become my favorite family variety rice.

       You can prepare this powder and store in air tight container and use it for a month. But i always grind the masala powder freshly. Generally the vangi bath is prepared using green long brinjal variety. But you can prepare with any brinjal you get. You can make this variety rice with left over rice too.

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal/ Egg plant (green long thin variety), cut into small long pieces- 3
Rice (Basmathi/Ponni/ Any rice used to make lunch)- 1 cup
Dried Red chilli- 3
Coriander seeds- 2 teaspoons
Coconut, grated- 2 tablespoons
Urad dhal/ Black gram dhal- 2 teaspoons
Bengal gram dhal/ Channa dhal- 2 teaspoons
Green cardamom/ Elaichi-2
Cinnamon bark- 1 small piece
Asafetida- pinch
Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Cashewnuts, broken- 4
Salt- to taste
Lemon- 1/2(or) tamarind water- 3 teaspoons

PROCEDURE:

• In a pan dry roast dried red chillies, coriander seeds, coconut, urad dhal, channa dhal, cardamom and cinnamon, till light golden colour. Allow to cool and make in blender as a fine powder.

• Roast broken cashew nuts in ghee and set aside.
• Half cook the rice with salt and drain excesss water; Allow to cool and set aside.
• Cut brinjal into 1 inch long thin stips and soak it in water to avoid browning.
• Heat oil with a teaspoon of ghee in a pan and roast the brinjal till the skin gets the white colour.

• Sprinkle some salt; add some curry leaves and roast the curry leaves in that oil to get the curry leaves' flavour.
• Now add the powdered spice mixture, add asafetida and mix well. (If you are planning to use tamarind juice instead of lemon juice add now add allow to boil and cook till the raw smell leaves)
• Since the masala has dhal in it, it easily can form lumps, so sprinkle some water in the masala (if required) and add rice mixing well with out any lumps till the rice and masala are evenly mixed together.

• Now add the cahew nuts and cook for a minute. 
• Squeeze the lemon juice and mix well. Add salt if required.

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