May 20, 2023

Arabic Mutton Mandi – Laham Mandi

Arabic Mutton Mandi or Laham Mandi is a traditional meat and rice mandi dish (similar to Saudi Kabsa or Pakistani Biryani) from the Middle East and is fondly eaten all over the UAE, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Originally, the word Mandi comes from the Arabic word, NADA, it means dew and that’s why it reflects the dewy flavor of the meat used in preparing this Laham or Mutton Mandi recipe.

Infact, this dish precise origin is Yemen, but now it is very popular in all over Asia including Pakistan and India.

Arabic Mutton or Laham Mandi | RockingRecipes.com

This Mutton or Laham Mandi recipe will give you aromatic and delicious Arabian dish, cooked with moist rice and perfectly cooked tender mutton.

How Mandi is Prepared?

Traditionally, Mutton/Laham Mandi recipe is prepared by roasting mutton meat from a young lamb to further enhance its flavor. Although, another mandi variation is fondly eaten with chicken, but the traditional Mandi dish consists of mutton or lamb, which is prepared in a very special underground tandoor called Taboon. Sometimes we add raisins, almonds, cashews and nuts for garnishing.

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Make sure you are using a good quality of mutton to prepare this dish. The mutton is fully cooked with simple Arabic spices and salt. Then, it is cooked with the blend of onion, tomatoes, ginger & garlic and green chili.

How to make Arabic Mutton Mandi – Laham Mandi OR Mutton Mandi | RockingRecipes.com

To make this flavorful mutton mandi recipe, we make a special ‘mandi spice blend’ which we add with dried lemons, this makes mutton mandi rice dish more flavorful. And in the last to get the maximum taste, I grilled the cooked mutton with spiced butter in a preheated oven to give nice golden color. The combination of soft and tender mutton/laham meat with aromatic rice along with the Arabic style tomato salsa (chutney) will make you fall in love!! Believe me!

Watch how to make Laham Mandi at Home

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I am giving this traditional mandi rice recipe a little bit twist according to my taste, but the changes are optional if you want to follow the traditional recipe you can skip those ingredients.

So, let’s start Laham/Mutton Mandi Recipe now!

Arabic Mutton Mandi Recipe Card!

Arabic Laham Mandi Recipe

This Mutton or Laham Mandi recipe will give you aromatic and delicious Arabian Rice, cooked with moist rice and perfectly cooked tender mutton.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 3 30

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings 4 people

Calories 1.02 kcal

Ingredients

For Mutton Marination:

2 Kg Lamb/Mutton shoulder/Shank 2 pieces with bones and fats (1 kg each) (Make cuts on the sides of the meat)
2 TBSP Lemon juice
2 TBSP Vinegar
Salt to taste
1 TBSP Paprika powder
Half TSP Cumin Powder
Half TSP Black Pepper, powder or freshly ground
Half TSP Turmeric Powder half TSP
1/4 Cup Olive Oil

For Mandi Stock you will need:

2 TBSP Cooking oil
1 TBSP Butter + extra 2 TBSP to make spiced butter
10 to 12 Garlic Cloves whole
1 large White Onion , chopped
2 to 3 pieces Green Chili roughly chopped
4 to 5 pieces Small green chillies, whole
2 2 TBSP ** prepared Mandi Spice Mix (heaped) Please check the recipe card for mandi spice mix recipe
2 TBSP Ginger Garlic Paste
Salt to taste
1 TSP Dried ginger powder (Sonth)
1 jug Water

For Mandi Spice Mix you will need:

2 small Dried Bay Leaves
2 TBSP Whole black Peppercorns
½ piece Nutmeg (Jaifil)
1 whole Mace (Javatri)
1 TSP Dried ginger powder
3 to 4 Green Cardamom
2 small Cinnamon Sticks
3 to 4 pieces black cloves
1 TSP Coriander Seeds roasted and ground
1 TSP Cumin Seeds roasted and ground
¼ TSP Red chilli flakes
¼ TSP Salt

For Mandi Rice you will need:

4 Cups Good Quality Basmati Rice wash and soak for 30 minutes
Half Cup Cooking oil
1 TBSP Butter
1 piece Dried Bay Leaf
2 pieces Green Cardamom
1 small piece Cinnamon Stick
1 cube Stock Cube (Beef Stock bouillon) – optional (but it makes mandi rice more flavorful, I added)
1 large White Onion chopped
2 small Tomatoes fine chopped
1 TBSP Tomato Puree concentrated
2 TBSP Green Chilli crushed heaped
1 TSP Smoked Paprika Powder (optional)
Salt to taste
2 TBSP Ginger Garlic paste
1 TBSP ** prepared Mandi Spice Mix (heaped) Please check the recipe card for mandi spice mix recipe
1/4 TSP Soaked Saffron or Saffron yellow food color
1 small Dried Lemon easily available in Mediterranean stores
Sultanas Black Raisins, – as needed for garnish (fry for a minute)
Fried Onions – as needed for garnish

Other Ingredients:

Hot Charcoal one medium for smoke
Tomato Chili Sauce/Salsa or sauce – to serve
Cucumber lemon onion salad – to serve
Yogurt Dip – to serve

Instructions

SEP#01: Make Mandi Spice Mix

Put all the ingredients of above-mentioned mandi spices in a grinder and grind until fine. Set aside.

SEP#02: Marinate the Mutton

Wash and pat dry mutton shoulder/shank and prick with forks on both sides.
Make cuts on the sides of the meat.
In a small bowl prepare the marinade with the following ingredients.
Salt to taste, and one tbsp of paprika, half a tsp of cumin, and half a tsp each of black pepper and turmeric
2 tbsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp of vinegar, One fourth of a cup of olive oil.
Mix well and then, marinate the meat.

SEP#03: To bake in Oven grill pan

Cut a big sheet of parchment paper and add the following ingredients
Onion (120 grams)
Garlic (120 grams)
Cinnamon stick
Bay leaves
Cardamom, cloves, and one tsp of coriander seeds
Place the meat on top and brush the meat with the rest of the marinade
Wrap the meat with the parchment paper and aluminum foil
Place the meat in a roasting pan
Add a little bit of water in the roasting pan
Place in a preheated oven
Roast at an oven temperature of 400°f, 200°c for 3 hours or more depending on the oven
OR Cook in a pot by following the below instructions:
In a pot, add oil and butter, add whole garlic (10-12) and fry until they turn light golden.
Add one large white chopped onion and fry until translucent.
Then add chopped green chilies and 3-4 whole green chilies. Fry for a minute.
Add mutton or lamb pieces and fry until all its moisture dries.
Now add 2 TBSP already prepared mandi spice mix + add half water of the jug + smoked paprika powder, saffron essence (optional) and salt as per taste. Mix and cook for a minute.
Now add reaming water of the jug and cook on high heat till one boil comes. Cover and cook on low flame until done (approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours). This slow cooking gives wonderful aroma and taste to mandi rice.
After the meat is tender, take out the mutton pieces from the stock and prepare for grilling.
In a separate bowl, add 2 TBSP of butter and 1 TSP of prepared mandi spice mix + a pinch of saffron yellow food color, mix well and set aside.
On a baking tray, place cooked lamb/mutton.
With the help of the brush, spread spiced butter on both sides and grill in preheated oven until golden brown on both sides.

SEP#04: Make Mandi Stock

Wash and pat dry mutton shoulder/shank and prick with forks on both sides.In a pot, add oil and butter, add whole garlic (10-12) and fry until they turn light golden.
Add one large white chopped onion and fry until translucent.
Then add chopped green chilies and 3-4 whole green chilies. Fry for a minute.
Add mutton or lamb pieces and fry until all its moisture dries.
Now add 2 TBSP already prepared mandi spice mix + add half water of the jug + smoked paprika powder, saffron essence (optional) and salt as per taste. Mix and cook for a minute.
Now add reaming water of the jug and cook on high heat till one boil comes. Cover and cook on low flame until done (approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours). This slow cooking gives wonderful aroma and taste to mandi rice.
After the meat is tender, take out the mutton pieces from the stock and prepare for grilling.

SEP#05: Prepare Mandi Rice

Take a large deep pot, add half cup oil and 1 TBSP butter, add onion crushed garlic, dried lemon and fry until translucent.
Add 1 bay leaf, 2-3 green cardamoms, 2-3 cloves and mix well.
Add rice and the prepared mandi stock + 1 beef stock cube (optional).
Add salt and mix well. Bring it to boil then cover and cook until done. Drizzle saffron food color mix waith water on the top of mandi rice and put the rice on la very ow heat (dam).

SEP#06: Prepare Garnish

Fry black raisins for a minute. Then take out. Set aside.
Fry the sliced onions till golden brown. Set aside for garnish.
SEP#07: Serve
On a serving plate, add cooked rice and mutton mandi, give a coal smoke for 2 minutes and then garnish with fried black raisins and fried onions.
Serve with tangy and spicy tomato salsa, salad and yogurt.
Enjoy!
~ Get Mutton or Laham Mandi Rice Recipe in Urdu

Notes

#1: Always use good quality of basmati rice to make this dish.

#2: Choose mutton shoulder or shank for good taste.

#3: You can use mutton stock cube or chicken stock cube, whatever is in your hand.

#4: Do not add too much turmeric else the rice will become more yellowish.

#5: To get maximum taste of this dish, try to cook the meat on slow heat till well-cooked and soft.

Keyword arabic mandi recipe, laham mandi, lamb pilaf, mandi recipe

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NUTRITION INFORMATION

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please contact your dietician or nutritionist for further help.