مندي

Instructions

1. 1 Season the whole chicken or lamb with mandi spice, turmeric, salt, and ghee, rubbing the spices into every surface and under the skin. Marinate for at least two hours. Traditional mandi is cooked in a tandoor pit, but a home oven method works well.
2. 2 Place the onion quarters and garlic in the bottom of a deep roasting pan. Set a rack over them and place the seasoned meat on the rack. Add one cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 180C for two hours.
3. 3 After two hours, remove the foil and increase the heat to 220C. Roast uncovered for fifteen minutes to develop a deeply browned, slightly charred exterior while the interior remains meltingly tender from the initial slow cooking.
4. 4 While the meat roasts, cook the soaked rice. Pour the broth into a pot, add any drippings from the meat pan, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir once, reduce to the lowest heat, cover, and cook for twenty minutes until perfectly fluffy.
5. 5 Remove the cooked meat from the oven and let rest for ten minutes. The meat should be so tender it falls off the bone with minimal effort. Carve or pull apart into serving pieces, collecting any juices to pour over the rice.
6. 6 Mound the fragrant rice on a large platter and arrange the tender meat pieces on top. Pour the collected meat juices over the rice. Garnish with fried raisins, toasted almonds, and fresh herbs. Mandi is a celebration dish served at weddings across the Arabian Peninsula.