Homestyle Chicken Mandi

This is the recipe of Chicken Mandi which can be prepared at home without mandi masala and tandoor, but still taste same as that of restaurant.

Ingredients

For Chicken

• Chicken - 1.5 KG (cut into 10-12 pieces)
• Chicken Stock Cubes - 2-3 nos:
• Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
• Crushed Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
• Mint Leaves (finely chopped) - handful
• Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - handful
• Capsicum - 1 (finely chopped)
• Sunflower Oil - 100 ml
• Red Food Color - 1/2 tsp (optional)

For Rice

• Basmati Rice - 1 KG
• Dried Lemon - 2 nos:
• Bay Leaves - 2 nos:
• Cloves - 3-4 nos:
• Cardamom - 3-4 nos:
• Black Pepper - 1 tsp
• Sunflower Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as required

For Dum

• Green Chilli - 4-5 nos:
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Milk - 1 tbsp
• Charcoal - 2-3
• Ghee - 1 tsp

For Tomato Dip

• Tomato - 2 nos:
• Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp
• Mint Leaves - 1 tbsp
• Green Chilli - 2 nos:
• Salt - as required

Preparation Method

1. Wash clean the chicken and make slit on the pieces.
2. Take a wide bottom deep pan. You should be able to arrange the chicken on the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Add chicken and the other ingredients listed for chicken and combine well. Initially use 2 chicken cubes and check for taste and salt after mixing; add half portion to 1 cube of salt is less, no need to add extra salt. If you are not using food color, add 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder for the color. Refrigerate the chicken at least for 1 hour.
3. Wash clean the rice and soak for 20-30 mins: in cold water, drain and keep aside.
4. Remove the chicken from refrigerator and cook in high flame till the oil start to bubble and water from the chicken start to come out. Keep the flame in low-medium and cook the chicken till its done flipping the pieces in between. Make sure that you flip the chicken every 5 mins: to have a grilled effect on all the sides of chicken pieces.
5. While chicken is getting cooked, to prepare the rice, boil water in a deep pan. Add dried lemon, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, oil and salt. When the water start to bubble and rice, stir well and cook till the rice is 90% done. Transfer the rice to a strainer to remove the excess water.
6. When the chicken is cooked completely stir it slowly and remove half of the gravy from chicken and keep aside.
7. Arrange the chicken in single layer and add half of the cooked rice on top of the chicken (make sure that the rice is hot while layering). Spread 1-2 tbsp of the reserved gravy over the rice and add the remaining rice. Level the top and spread 1-2 tbsp of the reserved gravy.
8. Mix turmeric powder with milk and spread over the rice. (This step is optional, but turmeric will give some color to the rice if you are not using any food color).
9. Insert the whole green chilies randomly into the rice.
10. Keep a flat, thick tawa on high flame till it become hot. Keep the flame in low and place the pan with chicken and rice on the tawa. Make a small dip on the middle of the rice and place a heat proof bowl. Burn the charcoal and place it in the bowl. Pour ghee over the charcoal and immediately cover the pan.
11. Keep in low flame for 15-20 mins:, switch off the flame and leave it for another 15-20 mins:
12. After 20mins: open the pan and remove the bowl with charcoal.
13. Carefully transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl; take out the chicken pieces and keep aside. Mix the rice with the gravy.
14. For the dip, grind together all the ingredients listed under for dip and transfer to bowl.
15. Transfer the rice to a serving plate and place the chicken pieces.
16. Homestyle Chicken Mandi is ready to serve with tomato dip and mayonnaise.