Mandi (food) facts for kids
Chicken mandi rice
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| Course | Lunch or dinner |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Yemen |
| Region or state | Hadhramaut |
| Main ingredients | Rice, meat (lamb or chicken), saffron and a mixture of Hawaij |
Mandi (Arabic: مندي) is a super yummy dish that comes from Hadhramaut, Yemen. It's mostly made of meat and rice, cooked with special spices in an underground pit. This dish is very popular in the Arabian Peninsula. It's even a main meal in many places there. You can also find Mandi in countries like Egypt, India, the Levant and Turkey.
In Yemen, Mandi is a favorite among the Hadhrami people. It's usually made with rice, different kinds of meat (like lamb, camel, goat, or chicken), and a mix of spices called hawaij. What makes Mandi special is how the meat is cooked. It's done in a special oven called a taboon.
What Does "Mandi" Mean?
The name Mandi comes from an Arabic word, nada. This word means "dew". It describes how moist and tender the meat becomes when cooked. It's like the meat is covered in a soft, dewy texture.
How Mandi is Cooked
Cooking Mandi is a unique process. First, dry wood (like samer or gadha wood) is put into the taboon. This wood burns down to hot charcoal.
Next, the meat is boiled with whole spices until it becomes very tender. The spiced water from boiling the meat is then used to cook basmati rice. The rice cooks at the bottom of the taboon oven. The tender meat is then hung inside the taboon, right above the rice. It's important that the meat doesn't touch the hot charcoal. After everything is set, the whole taboon oven is sealed with clay. It cooks slowly for up to eight hours. This long cooking time makes the meat incredibly soft and flavorful.
See also
In Spanish: Mandi (comida) para niños
