Saturday, April 11, 2009

Al Mandy Al Dajaj (Chicken Mandy)

Salam!

Bismillah

One of my friends from the gulf told me about how they would go out in the desert and dig a pit to make this kind of chicken (or lamb) and rice called "mandy."
I could just picture the set up with the coals under the pot with the rice and the chicken hanging suspended over the pot to cook in the steam and the smoke of the coals.
I set out to recreate this lovely dish in an apartment kitchen, to the best of my ability, and this is what I came up with...

Please let me know what you think!!! :-D
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
1 Small Chicken (cornish hen) halved
2 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Vinegar
2 tsp Olive Oil
Spices: Cumin, Black Pepper, Curry Powder, Paprika, Tumeric, Cardamom, Coriander, Salt, Galanqa
*amounts to your liking. Mine is HEAVY on the coriander and cumin.*

For the Rice:
2-3 Tomatoes
1 Green Pepper
2 Onions
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Olive Oil
5-8 Cardamom Pods
1 stick Cinnamon
2 Bay Leaves
2 Chicken Bullion Cubes
Dash of Ground Galanqa
Salt to Taste
2 cups Basmati Rice
2-3 cups Chicken Broth (room temperature)
2 cups Water (room temperature)

Method:
1. Chop Veges in thin rounds/ circles




2. Mix all ingredients for the chicken and poke with holes, let rest

3. Soak the Rice for 30 minutes in some room temperature water

4. Run two wires through the chicken halves (make sure it is stainless steel wire... no weird alloys, lol)

5. Melt butter and Oil for the rice in a pan over the stove, add onions, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf and green peppers and cook until soft

6. Add bullion cubes, salt, and tomatoes until tomatoes are warm

7. Add soaked rice into the pan and stir until thoroughly mixed

8. Spread rice and vege mixture into roasting pan and add broth and water


9. Next, hang chicken from wires inside the oven over the place where the rice will cook (so that the steam will directly hit the chicken as it cooks


10. Cook in 350F oven for about an hour and a half until rice is done (you may have to add liquid or use less than the 5 cups I recommended depending on the humidity of your home and the ventilation in your oven.)


I hope you enjoy!!!!

6 comments:

mami said...

wow that looks really complicated but oohh so delicious !! haha

NeverEver said...

lol, yeah but it was really fun!

I think this is one of those meals you have to be in the mood for.

You can also do it a different way where you put foil over the roasting pan, poke holes, place the chicken on top, then place more foil over it all and then bake in the oven. I would use less liquid this way, maybe only 4 cups.

I just wanted to see if I could hang the chicken bedouin style :-P

Rainbow In The Grey Sky said...

that's an intresting oven you have there mashaallah!

Desert Housewife A. (The Canadian in Jubail) said...

It looks like it would be good but for some reason I cannot stand chicken right now... Actually this is what happened with my last pregnancy -- I cannot stand the smell or to even look at poultry products!! Ahhhhhh!!!

WPK said...

salaam.

i am really really liking your blog.

keep it up

-indonesian prince

Noor said...

Asalam Alaykum, I live in the gulf and I make this but mine is a bit easier.. Check it out on my blog under Saudi recipes..