[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":438},["ShallowReactive",2],{"recipe:saudi-mandi":3,"recipe:country:saudi-arabia":219},{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"pronunciation":7,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"emoji":10,"summary":11,"intro":12,"story":13,"whyThis":14,"tips":19,"substitutions":26,"variations":39,"serveWith":49,"storage":51,"faq":52,"equipment":68,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":75,"cookMinutes":76,"restMinutes":77,"difficulty":78,"course":79,"diet":81,"mainIngredients":85,"ingredients":90,"instructions":166,"nutrition":198,"images":205,"keywords":209,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saudi-mandi","Mandi (Pit-Smoked Lamb and Rice)","مندي","MAN-dee","saudi-arabia","Southern Saudi Arabia and the Hejaz","🐑","Lamb hung above rice in a sealed oven so its dripping fat seasons every grain, then perfumed with live charcoal — the smoky pit dish rebuilt for a domestic oven.","Mandi is lamb and rice cooked in the same sealed chamber, one suspended above the other. The meat, rubbed only with salt and a restrained hawaij-style spice mix, hangs over a covered pot of soaked basmati; as it cooks it renders, and every drop of that seasoned fat falls into the rice below. Nothing is browned, no tomato goes in, and there is no onion base — mandi tastes of lamb, cardamom, cumin and smoke, and almost nothing else. At the end a lump of glowing charcoal is dropped into a small dish set on the rice, doused with ghee and shut under the lid, which fills the grain with the woodsmoke a home oven cannot otherwise give. The result is pale gold, extremely tender, and much cleaner-tasting than kabsa.","Mandi did not begin in Saudi Arabia. Its home is Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, and the name comes from the Arabic nada, to moisten or dampen — a reference to how the meat steams in its own vapour rather than roasting dry. The cooking vessel is a taboon or a mandi pit: a deep hole lined with clay, heated with wood until the walls glow, then raked clear. The rice pot goes on the floor of the pit, the meat is hung above it on a rack or a hook, and the whole thing is sealed with a metal lid and packed mud so nothing escapes for several hours. Hadhrami traders and migrants carried the method up the peninsula, and today mandi restaurants — often still Yemeni-owned — are on almost every commercial street in the kingdom, with the pits sunk into the floor behind the counter.\n\nSaudis adopted it thoroughly enough that mandi now sits beside kabsa as everyday feast food, and the differences between the two are worth stating plainly. Kabsa builds a tomato and onion base and simmers the meat in water, so the rice is red-gold and tangy with dried lime. Mandi builds nothing: the rice cooks in water or a light broth under falling fat, so it stays pale, and its complexity comes from smoke and rendered lamb instead of spice paste. A Saudi will tell you kabsa is richer and mandi is subtler, and both statements are true.\n\nThe smoking step, called tadkheen or dukhan, is the part worth protecting when you move the dish indoors. A piece of hardwood charcoal is heated until it glows white at the edges, dropped into a small metal or foil cup nested in the finished rice, and hit with a spoonful of ghee; the fat flares, produces a thick aromatic smoke, and the lid traps it. Ten minutes is enough — longer and the rice turns acrid. It is a genuine technique used in Yemeni and Saudi kitchens, not a shortcut, and it is the single thing that makes a home oven version taste like the real dish rather than plain lamb pilaf.",[15,16,17,18],"Suspends the lamb on a rack directly over the rice so the rendered fat seasons the grains, which is the entire point of mandi and what most oven adaptations lose.","Uses the real charcoal-smoking step with clear timing, so you get pit flavour without turning the rice bitter.","Keeps the spicing deliberately spare — mandi is not kabsa, and loading it with tomato and dried lime makes a different dish.","Gives honest oven temperatures and a doneness test for lamb that is pull-apart soft rather than merely cooked through.",[20,21,22,23,24,25],"Ask for lamb shoulder on the bone, cut into large pieces. Bone and connective tissue are what make the drippings taste of something.","Bring the lamb to room temperature and dry the surface hard with paper towels before spicing, or the rub slides off in the steam.","Seal the roasting pan with two layers of foil crimped tight to the rim. Any gap lets the fat-laden steam escape and the rice cooks dry.","Use hardwood lump charcoal for smoking, never briquettes with lighter fluid or self-lighting coals — those taste of petrol and ruin the pot.","Ten minutes of smoke is plenty. If the kitchen smells like a bonfire rather than a grill, you have gone too far and the rice will be harsh.","If the rice looks wet when you uncover it, leave the lid off in the switched-off oven for 5 minutes before fluffing rather than stirring it.",[27,31,35],{"original":28,"swap":29,"note":30},"Lamb shoulder on the bone","Whole chicken cut in half, or bone-in chicken thighs","Mandi dajaj is extremely common in Saudi restaurants. Chicken needs only about 70 minutes total rather than three hours, so start the rice later.",{"original":32,"swap":33,"note":34},"Charcoal smoking","Quarter teaspoon of smoked paprika stirred into the rice, or a few drops of liquid smoke in the ghee","A poor imitation but better than nothing. If you have any outdoor grill, lighting one lump of charcoal on it is genuinely the easier route.",{"original":36,"swap":37,"note":38},"Mandi spice mix","Yemeni hawaij for meat, or a mild baharat","Both are close in spirit. Keep it light-handed either way — the meat should taste of lamb first and spice second.",[40,43,46],{"name":41,"description":42},"Mandi dajaj","The chicken version, faster and cheaper, and the default weekday order at Saudi mandi restaurants. Halve the cooking time and keep the smoking step.",{"name":44,"description":45},"Madhbi","The same meat and rice but with the lamb grilled flat on a hot stone slab over the fire instead of hung, giving charred edges rather than pure steam-tenderness.",{"name":47,"description":48},"Madfoon","Literally buried: the meat is wrapped and cooked down in the pit under the coals rather than suspended above the rice, coming out even softer and more deeply smoky.",[50],"Sahawiq or daqoos for heat, a plain cucumber and tomato salad, warm flatbread, and cold laban — with gahwa and dates afterwards.","Mandi keeps 3 days in the fridge; store the lamb sitting on the rice so it does not dry out. Reheat covered at 150°C with a splash of water until steaming, about 20 minutes — the smoke flavour actually settles and improves overnight. Both meat and rice freeze for up to two months in sealed portions, though the rice loses a little of its separateness. Never reheat the rice uncovered in a microwave; it goes hard and chalky within a minute.",[53,56,59,62,65],{"question":54,"answer":55},"What is the difference between mandi, kabsa and madhbi?","Kabsa simmers the meat in a tomato, onion and dried-lime base and cooks the rice in that broth, so it is red-gold and tangy. Mandi cooks the meat by hanging it above the rice in a sealed oven with no tomato or onion base at all, so the rice is pale and tastes of rendered fat and smoke. Madhbi uses the same rice but grills the meat on a hot stone over the fire instead of suspending it, which adds char.",{"question":57,"answer":58},"Can I make mandi without a pit or a tandoor?","Yes. A deep roasting pan with a rack, sealed tightly with foil and cooked in a domestic oven, reproduces the essential mechanic — meat suspended over rice in a closed, steamy chamber. What the oven cannot give is smoke, which is why the charcoal step at the end matters so much. Done that way the home version is genuinely close, not a compromise you have to apologise for.",{"question":60,"answer":61},"Is the charcoal smoking step safe to do indoors?","It is a standard Middle Eastern home technique, but treat it with respect. Heat the charcoal on a gas ring or outdoor grill until it glows, carry it with tongs to a metal or double-foil cup set inside the pot, add ghee and cover immediately. Open a window and run the extractor fan, keep it to about ten minutes, and never leave burning charcoal in a sealed room longer than the smoking time.",{"question":63,"answer":64},"Why is my rice dry and undercooked at the bottom?","The seal leaked. If steam escapes during the covered stage, the liquid boils away before the grains have absorbed it. Crimp two layers of foil hard around the entire rim of the pan, and if your oven door has a strong fan, switch to conventional heat rather than fan-forced. Adding 100 ml of hot water and re-sealing for ten minutes will usually rescue a pot that has gone dry too early.",{"question":66,"answer":67},"What kind of rice should I use for mandi?","Aged long-grain basmati, rinsed until the water runs clear and soaked for at least 30 minutes. Aged basmati absorbs liquid without swelling into a sticky mass, which is essential when the rice is steaming under a sealed lid for over an hour. Short or medium grain rice will turn creamy and give you something closer to a risotto than mandi.",[69,70,71,72,73],"Deep roasting pan","Wire rack that sits above the pan base","Heavy-duty aluminium foil","Tongs","Small metal cup or double-layer foil cup for the charcoal",6,30,200,15,"hard",[80],"main",[82,83,84],"halal-friendly","dairy-free","gluten-free",[86,87,88,89],"lamb","basmati-rice","cardamom","ghee",[91,96,100,105,108,110,113,117,121,123,128,132,134,137,140,143,147,149,152,154,160,163],{"ref":86,"qty":92,"unit":93,"name":94,"group":95},1.8,"kg","lamb shoulder on the bone, in 4 to 6 large pieces","For the lamb",{"qty":97,"unit":98,"name":99,"group":95},1,"tbsp","coarse salt",{"ref":101,"qty":102,"unit":103,"name":104,"group":95},"cumin",2,"tsp","ground cumin",{"ref":106,"qty":102,"unit":103,"name":107,"group":95},"coriander-seed","ground coriander",{"ref":88,"qty":97,"unit":103,"name":109,"group":95},"ground green cardamom",{"ref":111,"qty":97,"unit":103,"name":112,"group":95},"black-pepper","ground black pepper",{"ref":114,"qty":115,"unit":103,"name":116,"group":95},"turmeric",0.5,"ground turmeric",{"ref":118,"qty":119,"unit":103,"name":120,"group":95},"cloves",0.25,"ground cloves",{"ref":89,"qty":102,"unit":98,"name":122,"group":95},"ghee, melted, for rubbing the meat",{"ref":87,"qty":124,"unit":125,"name":126,"group":127},500,"g","aged basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes","For the rice",{"qty":129,"unit":130,"name":131,"group":127},900,"ml","hot water or light chicken stock",{"ref":89,"qty":133,"unit":98,"name":89,"group":127},3,{"ref":88,"qty":74,"unit":135,"name":136,"group":127},"piece","green cardamom pods, cracked",{"ref":138,"qty":97,"unit":135,"name":139,"group":127},"cinnamon","cinnamon stick",{"ref":141,"qty":102,"unit":135,"name":142,"group":127},"bay-leaf","bay leaves",{"ref":144,"qty":97,"unit":145,"name":146,"group":127},"saffron","pinch","saffron threads, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water",{"qty":102,"unit":103,"name":148,"group":127},"fine salt",{"qty":97,"unit":135,"name":150,"group":151},"lump of hardwood charcoal, about the size of an egg","For the smoke",{"ref":89,"qty":97,"unit":98,"name":153,"group":151},"ghee, for the charcoal",{"ref":155,"qty":156,"unit":125,"name":157,"optional":158,"group":159},"almonds",50,"slivered almonds, toasted in ghee",true,"To finish",{"ref":161,"qty":162,"unit":125,"name":161,"optional":158,"group":159},"raisins",40,{"ref":164,"qty":102,"unit":98,"name":165,"optional":158,"group":159},"parsley","flat-leaf parsley, chopped",[167,172,176,180,183,188,192,195],{"title":168,"text":169,"timerSeconds":170,"tip":171},"Spice and rest the lamb","Pat the lamb pieces completely dry, then rub them all over with the salt, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, cloves and melted ghee, working the mix into every crease. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes so the surface dries again and the spices grip.",1800,"Resist adding tomato, onion or dried lime here. That turns it into kabsa.",{"title":173,"text":174,"timerSeconds":175},"Sear for colour, then cover","Heat the oven to 220°C. Set the lamb on a wire rack over an empty roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes, until the fat cap has turned glossy brown and the edges are sizzling. Remove and drop the oven to 150°C.",1500,{"title":177,"text":178,"timerSeconds":179},"Slow-cook the lamb over its own drippings","Pour 300 ml of water into the pan under the rack to stop the drippings scorching, seal the whole pan tightly with two layers of foil, and cook at 150°C for 2 hours. The meat is ready when a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance and the bone twists free with light pressure.",7200,{"title":181,"text":182},"Set up the rice underneath","Drain the soaked rice well. Pour off the pan drippings into a jug, skim most of the fat and reserve it, then combine the defatted liquid with enough hot water or stock to reach 900 ml total. Melt the ghee in the roasting pan, toss in the cardamom pods, cinnamon and bay leaves for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the rice, the 900 ml of liquid and the salt.",{"title":184,"text":185,"timerSeconds":186,"tip":187},"Return the lamb above the rice and seal","Set the rack with the lamb back over the rice so nothing touches the grains, brush the meat with the reserved fat, and seal the pan again with two tight layers of foil. Raise the oven to 180°C and cook for 45 minutes, until the rice has drunk all the liquid and the lamb is falling apart.",2700,"The seal is everything. Crimp the foil around the entire rim — escaping steam means dry rice.",{"title":189,"text":190,"timerSeconds":191},"Smoke it","Heat the charcoal lump on a gas ring or outdoor grill with tongs until it glows orange with white ash at the edges, about 8 minutes. Lift out the lamb, sit a small metal cup on the rice, drop the charcoal in, spoon the tablespoon of ghee straight onto it, and slam the lid or foil back on the moment it starts smoking.",480,{"title":193,"text":194,"timerSeconds":129},"Rest under the smoke","Leave the sealed pan to stand off the heat for 10 to 15 minutes. When you uncover it the rice should smell of woodsmoke and rendered lamb, not of ash — remove the charcoal cup carefully and discard it. Trickle over the saffron water.",{"title":196,"text":197},"Fluff and serve from one platter","Fork the rice through from the edges inward so the saffron marbles rather than dyes it evenly, then heap it onto a wide platter and set the lamb on top. Scatter with toasted almonds, raisins and parsley, and bring it to the table whole for everyone to pull the meat apart by hand.",{"calories":199,"protein":200,"carbs":201,"fat":202,"fiber":133,"sugar":203,"sodium":204,"estimated":158},810,45,68,39,4,980,[206],{"src":207,"alt":208},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-mandi\u002Fhero.svg","Platter of Saudi mandi — pale saffron-marbled basmati rice topped with falling-apart smoked lamb shoulder, slivered almonds and raisins",[210,211,212,213,214,215,216],"mandi","saudi arabia","smoked lamb","lamb and rice","yemeni","charcoal smoking","one pot feast","2026-08-21","dishroute-kitchen",{"items":220,"total":251,"page":97,"limit":436,"hasMore":437},[221,244,269,276,300,324,348,370,393,413],{"slug":222,"title":223,"nativeName":224,"countrySlug":8,"region":225,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":226,"cookMinutes":227,"difficulty":228,"course":229,"diet":230,"mainIngredients":231,"images":234,"keywords":238,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"jareesh","Jareesh (Crushed Wheat and Lamb Porridge)","جريش","Najd (central Saudi Arabia)",20,110,"medium",[80],[82],[86,232,233,89],"buttermilk","onion",[235],{"src":236,"alt":237},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fjareesh\u002Fhero.svg","Wide bowl of Saudi jareesh — creamy pale crushed-wheat porridge with shredded lamb, topped with deep brown fried onions in melted ghee",[222,211,239,240,241,242,243],"crushed wheat","lamb porridge","najdi","laban","ramadan food",{"slug":245,"title":246,"nativeName":247,"countrySlug":8,"region":248,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":249,"cookMinutes":250,"restMinutes":251,"difficulty":228,"course":252,"diet":253,"mainIngredients":254,"images":257,"keywords":261,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saudi-kabsa","Kabsa (Saudi Spiced Rice with Chicken)","كبسة","Nationwide, with a Najdi core",25,75,10,[80],[82,83,84],[255,87,256,88],"chicken","tomato",[258],{"src":259,"alt":260},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-kabsa\u002Fhero.svg","Wide platter of Saudi kabsa — golden spiced basmati rice topped with browned chicken pieces, raisins and toasted almonds, with a bowl of red daqoos sauce beside it",[262,211,263,264,265,266,267,268],"kabsa","spiced rice","chicken and rice","dried lime","loomi","gulf cuisine","one pot",{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":75,"cookMinutes":76,"restMinutes":77,"difficulty":78,"course":270,"diet":271,"mainIngredients":272,"images":273,"keywords":275,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},[80],[82,83,84],[86,87,88,89],[274],{"src":207,"alt":208},[210,211,212,213,214,215,216],{"slug":277,"title":278,"nativeName":279,"romanized":280,"countrySlug":8,"region":281,"baseServings":203,"prepMinutes":226,"cookMinutes":282,"difficulty":283,"course":284,"diet":285,"mainIngredients":287,"images":290,"keywords":294,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saleeg","Saleeg (Hejazi Creamy Milk Rice with Chicken)","سليق","salīq","Hejaz — Taif, Mecca and Jeddah",80,"easy",[80],[84,286,82],"nut-free",[288,255,289,89],"short-grain-rice","milk",[291],{"src":292,"alt":293},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaleeg\u002Fhero.svg","Wide platter of creamy Saudi saleeg rice topped with browned whole chicken and melted ghee, tomato daqoos alongside",[277,295,296,297,264,298,299],"saudi rice","hejazi food","milk rice","taif","daqoos",{"slug":301,"title":302,"nativeName":303,"countrySlug":8,"region":304,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":305,"cookMinutes":77,"restMinutes":305,"difficulty":283,"course":306,"diet":308,"mainIngredients":311,"images":313,"keywords":317,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saudi-gahwa","Saudi Gahwa (Cardamom Coffee)","قهوة عربية","Nationwide",5,[307],"drink",[309,310,84,83,82],"vegan","vegetarian",[88,144,118,312],"dates",[314],{"src":315,"alt":316},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-gahwa\u002Fhero.svg","A brass dallah pouring pale gold Saudi gahwa into a small handleless cup beside a plate of dates",[318,319,320,321,322,323],"gahwa","arabic coffee","saudi coffee","cardamom coffee","dallah","saffron coffee",{"slug":325,"title":326,"nativeName":327,"countrySlug":8,"region":328,"baseServings":74,"prepMinutes":226,"cookMinutes":249,"restMinutes":329,"difficulty":283,"course":330,"diet":333,"mainIngredients":334,"images":337,"keywords":341,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saudi-luqaimat","Saudi Luqaimat (Syrup-Soaked Dough Balls)","لقيمات","Nationwide, especially in Ramadan",90,[331,332],"dessert","snack",[310],[335,336,88,144],"flour","yeast",[338],{"src":339,"alt":340},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-luqaimat\u002Fhero.svg","A plate of golden luqaimat dough balls glazed in dark syrup and scattered with sesame seeds and pistachios",[342,343,344,345,346,347],"luqaimat","saudi dessert","ramadan sweets","fried dough balls","date syrup","gulf dessert",{"slug":349,"title":350,"nativeName":351,"countrySlug":8,"region":352,"baseServings":203,"prepMinutes":251,"cookMinutes":305,"difficulty":283,"course":353,"diet":355,"mainIngredients":356,"images":361,"keywords":365,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"masoub","Saudi Masoub (Banana and Bread Pudding)","معصوب","Hejaz — Jeddah and Mecca",[354,331],"breakfast",[310],[357,358,359,360],"banana","pita-bread","heavy-cream","honey",[362],{"src":363,"alt":364},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fmasoub\u002Fhero.svg","A bowl of Saudi masoub, mashed banana and bread topped with cream, honey drizzle and crushed pistachios",[349,366,367,296,368,369],"saudi breakfast","banana bread pudding","jeddah","ramadan dessert",{"slug":371,"title":372,"nativeName":373,"romanized":374,"countrySlug":8,"region":352,"baseServings":203,"prepMinutes":162,"cookMinutes":75,"restMinutes":375,"difficulty":228,"course":376,"diet":378,"mainIngredients":379,"images":383,"keywords":387,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"saudi-mutabbaq","Saudi Mutabbaq (Folded Meat-Stuffed Pancake)","مطبق","muṭabbaq",120,[377],"street-food",[83,286,82],[335,380,381,382],"ground-beef","leek","eggs",[384],{"src":385,"alt":386},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-mutabbaq\u002Fhero.svg","Square of Saudi mutabbaq cut open to show spiced minced beef, leek and set egg inside a crisp blistered pastry",[388,389,390,391,243,368,392],"mutabbaq","murtabak","saudi street food","stuffed pancake","minced beef pastry",{"slug":394,"title":395,"nativeName":396,"countrySlug":8,"region":397,"baseServings":203,"prepMinutes":249,"cookMinutes":75,"restMinutes":329,"difficulty":228,"course":398,"diet":400,"mainIngredients":401,"images":403,"keywords":407,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"tamees","Saudi Tamees (Tandoor Flatbread)","تميس","Riyadh and Jeddah bakeries",[399],"bread",[310,82],[335,336,289,402],"sesame-seeds",[404],{"src":405,"alt":406},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Ftamees\u002Fhero.svg","A wide round of Saudi tamees flatbread with deep finger grooves, blistered golden top and sesame seeds",[394,408,409,410,411,412],"saudi bread","tandoor flatbread","afghan naan","breakfast bread","flatbread recipe",{"slug":414,"title":415,"nativeName":416,"romanized":417,"countrySlug":8,"baseServings":203,"prepMinutes":77,"cookMinutes":418,"difficulty":283,"course":419,"diet":421,"mainIngredients":422,"images":424,"keywords":428,"publishedAt":217,"updatedAt":217,"authorSlug":218},"shorbat-freekeh","Shorbat Freekeh (Saudi Smoked Green Wheat Soup)","شوربة فريكة","shorbat farīkah",55,[420],"soup",[83,286,82],[86,256,233,101,423],"stock",[425],{"src":426,"alt":427},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fshorbat-freekeh\u002Fhero.svg","Bowl of thick Saudi freekeh soup with lamb, green wheat grains and parsley, lemon wedge and dates alongside",[429,430,431,432,433,434,435],"shorbat freekeh","freekeh soup","green wheat","ramadan soup","saudi soup","iftar","lamb soup",24,false,1787360062289]