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Traditional Yemeni Chicken Mandi with Charcoal-Smoked Basmati Rice

Name: Traditional Yemeni Chicken Mandi with Charcoal-Smoked Basmati Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: middle_eastern
Ingredients: 1400 g Whole chicken halved lengthwise; 400 g Long-grain basmati rice washed and soaked; 40 g Clarified butter (ghee); 160 g Large onion finely chopped; 4 pc Garlic cloves minced; 45 ml Saffron threads steeped in 3 tbsp warm water; 10 g Green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves; 1 tsp Ground turmeric; 1 pc Small piece of natural hardwood charcoal for smoking; 8 g Sea salt

The crowning glory of Yemeni feast cuisine: spiced golden chicken roasted over fragrant basmati rice, finished with the authentic 'faham' hot charcoal smoking technique for an unmistakable smoky aroma.

Prep

25 min

Cook

60 min

Total

85 min

Oven

190°C (170°C vent.)

Ingredients

servings

Whole chicken halved lengthwise
1400 g
Long-grain basmati rice washed and soaked
400 g
Clarified butter (ghee)
40 g
Large onion finely chopped
160 g
Garlic cloves minced
4 pc
Saffron threads steeped in 3 tbsp warm water
45 ml
Green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves
10 g
Ground turmeric
1 tsp
Small piece of natural hardwood charcoal for smoking
1 pc
Sea salt
8 g

Preparation Steps

Rub chicken halves with salt, turmeric, and half of the steeped saffron water. Marinate for 20 minutes.

In a roasting pan, sauté onions and garlic in ghee with whole spices. Add drained rice, 700 ml boiling water, and salt. Place a wire rack directly over the pan and arrange chicken halves on top so pan drippings baste the rice. Seal tightly with heavy foil and bake at 190°C for 55 minutes.

Uncover and broil chicken 5 minutes until crispy. Combine rice and chicken in one deep vessel. Light a lump of natural charcoal until glowing red, set into a small foil cup with a tsp of ghee in the center of the rice, seal lid for 7 minutes to capture rich smoke, then serve with fiery Sahawiq salsa.

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Nutrition Facts

per serving

Calories

610

Protein

42g

Carbohydrates

62g

Fat

21g

Allergens

Milk

*estimated values per serving

Provenance & Public Domain Audit

Source: Traditional Middle Eastern & North African Gastronomic Archives / Public Domain Cookbooks (Historic Culinary Archives & Public Domain Heritage Collections)

Legal status: Public Domain (Traditional Heritage / CC0-compatible) • 17 U.S.C. § 105

License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal

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Traditional Yemeni Chicken Mandi with Charcoal-Smoked Basmati Rice

Ingredients

Preparation Steps

Cooking Journal

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