What Is Mandi Rice? Discover the Arabic Dish Taking Over Singapore

Is everyone around you talking about Mandi? All of a sudden there are a lot more Mandi plans than ever before? You’re not alone – it's really happening. Mandi Rice is all the rage these days and for all the right reasons. But what is Mandi you ask?  Let us break down this mouth-watering, Middle Eastern dish that is taking over Singapore and can be enjoyed in many different forms at Tarboush. 

Mandi is a traditional Arab, light and aromatic rice-based dish made with spiced fragrant basmati rice, slow cooked smoky meat, and a blend of spices – the most popular meat form in mandi is lamb shank but a lot of people also love it with chicken. It originated in Yemen and quickly grew popular across the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf region – including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman and now has gained massive popularity in Singapore too. 

What makes mandi unique? 

• Slow-cooked meat: The Mandi meat is traditionally cooked in an underground clay oven for several hours - this makes it juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender and melt-in-your-good.
  

• Fragrant basmati rice: The rice is cooked in the same meat broth, spiced with fragrant spices like saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
  

• Tahteek - the crunchy rice layer: Some mandi variations have tahteek - a golden, crunchy rice layer formed when the rice is cooked directly over heat with some ghee/oil. It is then scraped up and served on top of the mandi for more crunch and flavour.
  

• Delicious sides and garnishing: Mandi is a decadent dish with different food groups coming together to create this popular cuisine. Even the garnishing is done with a variety of things, including fried onions, raisins, peanuts, and a side of spicy salsa and mint yoghurt

Tarboush is Singapore’s favourite Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurant - it has a vast Mandi menu for its customers to choose from. From Mandi Lamb Shank, Mandi Roasted Chicken and Mix Mandi with both meat options, Tarboush has something for all palates. Taboush also has other popular Middle Eastern rice dishes such as Khabsa and Makloubah. Khabsa is a tomato-based rice and meat option with a heavier and tangier texture.  Makloubah which literally means “upside-down” in Arabic is a beloved dish known for its upside-down cake-like presentation. The dish includes fried vegetables like eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes, and carrots, has tender rice and juicy meat.