How to Make Chicken Mandi

Season the chicken with spices: turmeric, curry, mixed spice and salt. Set the seasoned chicken aside.

Wash the rice well and soak it in hot water for a quarter of an hour.

In an ovenproof pot sauté the onion and garlic, and after they soften add the chicken bouillon cube and the spices: bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves... stir well then add the peeled and chopped tomatoes and hot pepper, then add cumin, turmeric, curry and salt and mix thoroughly.

Drain the rice and place it over the mixture and stir, then turn off the heat and pour in the boiling water.

Cover the pot with aluminum foil and poke very small holes in it.

Place the seasoned chicken on top of the foil with holes, then cover it with a second sheet of aluminum foil without piercing it.

Place the pot in a preheated oven at the highest temperature for one and a half hours or according to the oven strength.

After the chicken is cooked remove the top sheet of foil from above the chicken and brush the chicken with the saffron soak, then place the pot under the broiler to brown the chicken.

Remove the pierced foil from above the rice and place the chicken on top of the rice, then put a small cup with a little olive oil inside the pot and place a lit charcoal on top of the cup...

Cover the pot for 5 minutes then remove the cup and serve the chicken mandi hot...