Short answer: Rub chicken with mandi spice and roast it in the oven. Cook basmati rice in the spiced chicken stock. At the end, drizzle saffron water over the rice so you get golden and white streaks. About 20 saffron threads are enough for 5 people. If you like, give it a few minutes of charcoal smoke for a tandoor-style flavour.
Nasi mandi is one of the most popular Arab dishes in Malaysia. This guide gives you an easy home recipe for 5 people, a quantity table for kenduri, and tips for getting the colour and aroma of saffron right.
What is nasi mandi?
Mandi is an Arab dish most closely linked with Yemeni cooking, and it has spread from Yemen to many parts of the world (Wikipedia). In the traditional method, the spiced meat is hung inside a clay oven above the rice, the oven is sealed, and the meat cooks slowly for hours while its juices drip onto the rice (Wikipedia). The meat can be lamb, goat, chicken or even camel.
In Malaysia, Arab rice dishes such as mandi and kabsah are often all called “nasi arab”. Kabsah is usually cooked with tomato, while mandi is rice cooked in spiced meat stock, with a gentle smoky flavour.
Ingredients for 5 people
Mandi spice (homemade)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Ready-made mandi spice is also sold in Malaysian shops. But even with a ready-made mix, it is the saffron that gives the aroma and the golden colour.
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5kg), cut into four
- 2 tablespoons of the mandi spice, 2 tablespoons oil or ghee, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt
Stock and rice
- 3 cups basmati rice (about 600g), soaked for 30 minutes
- 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoons ghee
- Whole spices for the stock: 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, and 1 dried lime (loomi) if you have it
- Salt to taste, and the rest of the mandi spice
Saffron
- About 20 saffron threads, ground with a pinch of sugar
- 3 tablespoons warm (not boiling) water
Method, step by step
- Bloom the saffron: put the ground saffron in the warm water and leave it for at least 20 minutes. Do this first.
- Make the stock: boil the chicken pieces with the whole spices in about 1.5 litres of water for 20 minutes. Take out the chicken, then strain and keep the stock.
- Season: pat the chicken dry and rub it with the mandi spice, oil, garlic and salt.
- Roast: place the chicken on a tray and roast at 200°C for about 35–45 minutes, until the skin is golden and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Cook the rice: fry the onion in the ghee until golden, add the drained rice and stir for a minute or two. Add about 4.5 cups of the hot stock (1.5 times the rice) and salt. When it boils, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 15–18 minutes.
- Add the saffron: spoon the saffron water over the top of the rice in streaks, cover and let it steam for 5 minutes.
- Charcoal smoke (optional): put a piece of hot charcoal in a small foil bowl in the middle of the rice, add a few drops of ghee and close the lid straight away for 5–10 minutes. Then remove the charcoal. Do this carefully, in a well-ventilated place.
- Serve: spoon the rice onto a large tray, mixing it lightly so the golden and white streaks show, and place the chicken on top.
What to serve with it
- A tomato and green chilli sauce, like the one always served at mandi restaurants in Malaysia
- Raisins and fried almonds or peanuts on top of the rice
- A cucumber and tomato salad, or yoghurt
For a kenduri: how much rice and saffron?
| People | Basmati rice | Saffron |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 600g | About 20 threads |
| 10 | 1.2kg | 40–50 threads (about 0.1g) |
| 50 | 6kg | About 0.5g |
| 100 | 10–12kg | About 1g |
For big pots, steep the saffron in more water (for example 1g in a glass of warm water) so it spreads evenly. For restaurants and caterers, we explain the daily saffron-water method in saffron for restaurants, cafés and caterers. To convert grams to threads, see how many threads are in 1 gram of saffron.
Common mistakes
- Sprinkling dry threads straight onto the rice: the colour won’t spread. Bloom them first.
- Using too much saffron: the rice turns bitter. 20 threads are enough for 5 people.
- Too much liquid: mandi rice should be fluffy and separate. Keep to a ratio of 1 to 1.5.
- Using food colouring instead of saffron: it gives colour, but no aroma. See saffron vs turmeric vs safflower for the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make nasi mandi without a tandoor?
Yes. With a home oven and a few minutes of charcoal smoke, you get a very similar flavour.
How many saffron threads do I need for nasi mandi?
About 20 threads for 5 people, and about 1g for 100 people.
Can I make it with lamb?
Yes. Lamb takes longer: first simmer it in the spiced water for about 1–1.5 hours until tender, then season it and roast it in the oven.
What is the difference between nasi mandi and briyani?
Briyani is layered and steamed with the meat, rice and stronger spices. Mandi rice is cooked separately in the meat stock, with the roasted meat placed on top, and it has a milder, smoky flavour. See our saffron chicken biryani recipe.
What is mandi spice?
A mix of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric. In the Arab world, blends like this are called hawaij.
More saffron recipes: what to make with saffron.