- Ingredients List
- For the Homemade Mandi Spice Mix :
- Coriander seeds: 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Black peppercorns: 1 tsp
- Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
- Cloves: 4 to 5 pieces
- Green cardamom pods: 3 pieces
- Black cardamom: 1 piece
- Cinnamon stick: 1 small
- Mace: 1 small blade
- For the Chicken and Marination:
- Chicken: 1 kg, skin-on, large bone-in pieces
- Mandi Spice Mix: 3 tbsp
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1.5 tsp
- Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Oil: 2 tbsp
- Optional: A pinch of yellow or orange food colour
- For the Fragrant Rice and Aromatics:
- Basmati rice: 2 cups, washed and soaked for 20 to 30 minutes
- Cooking oil or ghee: ½ cup
- Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
- Star anise: 2 pieces
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
- Green chili paste: 1 tbsp
- Chicken stock cube: 1, crushed
- Water: 3 cups
- Salt: 1 tsp
- For garnish and smoking: 1 piece natural wood charcoal, 1 tsp oil or ghee, fried cashews, raisins, and almonds
Start by grinding the spices. Toast all the whole spices under the Mandi Spice Mix section in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for one to two minutes until intensely aromatic. Let them cool completely, then grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder. Next, marinate the chicken. Make a few deep gashes into the chicken pieces. In a bowl, combine three tablespoons of your fresh Mandi spice mix with the remaining marination ingredients to form a thick paste. Rub it thoroughly all over the chicken and let it marinate for 30 minutes. Then, sear and par-cook the chicken. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the marinated chicken pieces and sear for two to three minutes on high heat until lightly browned on both sides. Lower the heat to low, cover the pan tightly with a lid, and let the chicken cook in its own juices for eight to 10 minutes. Set the chicken aside and keep any pan drippings.
Now, cook the Mandi rice. In your main cooking pot, heat half a cup of oil or ghee. Sauté the chopped onions and star anise until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste, green chili paste, and the crushed chicken stock cube, cooking for one minute. Pour in three cups of water along with any leftover juices from the chicken pan, and bring it to a rolling boil. Drain your soaked basmati rice, add it to the pot, and cook uncovered until the water level drops to the surface of the rice. This is where the magic happens. Place the partially cooked chicken pieces gently right on top of the layer of rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel to seal the steam, and cook on the lowest possible heat setting for 20 minutes. While the rice cooks, heat your piece of charcoal over an open stove flame until it glows red-hot. Open the pot lid quickly, place a small piece of aluminium foil shaped into a tiny cup right in the centre of the chicken and rice. Place the glowing charcoal into the foil cup using tongs, drizzle a teaspoon of oil or ghee over it so it bursts into thick smoke, and immediately slam the lid shut. Let it trap the smoke for five minutes with the heat turned off.
Finally, it is time to serve. Discard the charcoal and foil cup. Carefully fluff up the smoky, aromatic rice using a fork. Transfer the golden rice to a wide serving platter, arrange the chicken on top, and scatter your fried nuts and raisins generously over everything. Your homemade Chicken Mandi is now ready to be enjoyed. The combination of the fragrant Baharat spice mix, tender chicken, and the deep smoky flavour from the charcoal will transport you straight to the streets of Arabia. Serve it with a side of spicy tomato chutney, raita, or a simple salad for a complete and unforgettable meal.
