Malappuram Chicken Mandhi Rice

A quick and easy version of the Arabian inspired dish. This recipe is a must try for those who love flavorful food without the fuss!

Total time is not inclusive of Marination time (1 hour).

The Recipe Intro↓ has , more information as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces ( skinless, with bone, cut into medium-sized pieces or larger if you prefer )		1 1/2 kg
Basmati rice		4 cups
Sunflower oil		4- 5 Tbsp
Spring Onion White bulb portion		4 Tbsp
Green Capsicum, finely chopped		3-4 Tbsp
Ginger, minced		4 tsp
Garlic, minced		4 tsp
Chicken bouillon / stock cube (I use Knorr)		1
Water		7 1/2 cups
Salt		2 1/2 tsp
Dried black Arabic lime / Loomi		1
Small, hot green chillies, stem intact		10

To Marinate the Chicken:

Chicken bouillon/stock cube (I use Knorr)		2
Small sticks of cinnamon		2
Cloves		8
Green Cardamom pods		7
Black peppercorns ( a vital ingredient)		1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds		3/4 tsp
Bright Red chilli powder (see notes)		1 tsp
Turmeric powder		Just less than 1/4 tsp
Sunflower oil		1/4 cup

Method:

1. Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly with gentle scrubbing under running water.
2. Drain the chicken pieces and add to a bowl.
3. Crumble the chicken stock cubes over the chicken followed by all the ingredients listed to ‘ Marinate the Chicken’. Add the sunflower oil last.
4. Rub well into the chicken, especially to mix the crumbled chicken stock cube evenly over the chicken. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
5. When the Chicken has marinated for about 45 minutes, get started with the rice. Rinse the Basmati rice well, till the water runs clear.
6. Soak the rinsed rice for 10 minutes, in fresh-water. Not longer than 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
7. Heat the sunflower oil (4-5 Tbsp) in [a pot suitable for cooking the rice].
8. Add the spring onion bulbs, green capsicum, ginger and garlic.
9. Saute these ingredients till softened.
10. Add the chicken stock cube, mash it into the ingredients, and saute till everything is nice and fragrant. Make sure there is no ‘browning’ of the ingredients.
11. Before there is any darkening of the garlic, add 7 1/2 cups of water, for cooking the rice. Cover the pot, and bring to a strong boil. [ Continue at step 14. ]
12. While waiting for the water to come to a boil : [ Use a separate, large non-stick pot with lid  on another burner] , large enough to contain the ‘marinated chicken’ as well as the ‘cooked’ rice (together).
13. On a HIGH flame, add the Marinated chicken to the bottom of this non-stick Pot and cover tightly. Cook on high for 5 minutes. This develops steam inside the pot and you see the juices simmering. Stir a few times between.
14. By now the water for the rice has come to a strong boil. Add the thoroughly drained rice to this boiling water.
15. Add 2 1/2 tsp salt and the black lime. Once the water has come back to a simmer, Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook covered for about 10 minutes, till rice is cooked.
16. Back to the previous pot, once the chicken has cooked on High for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and wait to layer with rice. Keep covered.
17. And once the rice is cooked, fluff up the rice quickly from the bottom wth a flat spatula, to prevent the accumalated steam to make the rice at the bottom to so clumpy and sticky.
18. Scoop out half of the fluffed rice and add to the pot of steamed chicken.  Poke the hot green chillies into the rice so that the stems are still showing on the surface of the rice.
19. Top with the remaining fluffed up rice. ( Don’t forget to break up any clumps of rice before layering). Once all the remaining rice is added. Pat the surface gently without pressing tightly,  to even out, without pressing it too much.
20. Now place the lid on top and on your smallest stove burner Switch on flame to cook on the lowest flame/ lowest heat for 30 minutes. (See notes.)
21. After 30 minutes, the chicken will be tender, with some bits of the chicken slightly crisped. The peppercorns will be crisped as well. The steam causes the aroma from the chicken to rice up through the rice, giving it awesome scent and at the same time flavor!
22. Gently toss the chicken from the bottom of the pot with the rice, as you transfer it to a serving platter. The chicken is beautifully colored as the chicken mixes through, giving the rice streaks of yellow and red.
23. Serve hot with garlic sauce and Salata Hara.

Malappuram Chicken Mandhi Rice

Notes:

• The bright red chilli powder I use is Kashmiri Chilli powder of good quality. It is super red without additives. It is also milder in heat. We don’t want a hot chilli powder-like, cayenne. Sometimes red food colouring is added to the marinade to give a good colour because it is more visually appetising, but for homemade food, we stay away from the bad stuff.
• As burner sizes vary, be cautious as you are cooking the chicken with the rice for 30 minutes. Listen to any crackling or hissing noises  towards the end of the cooking time, to avoid any burning chicken on the bottom.
• Check out my garlic sauce recipes.

Key Ingredients: Chicken, Rice,  Spices, Ginger, Garlic, Capsicum, Spring Onion/onion,Dried Lime, Oil, Chicken stock cubes,

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