Yemeni Mendi Rice
Chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, garlic and hawaij spice blend, then baked over basmati with onion, tomato paste, cardamom and cinnamon. Serves 4; 25 minutes prep, 55 minutes in the oven.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 400 g
- 800 g
- 120 g
- 2 tbsp
- 4 cloves
- 2 tsp
- 1 ½ tsp
- 2 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 ½ tsp
- 2 tbsp
- 650 ml
- 1 tsp
- 40 g
- 40 g
Process
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Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then soak it in fresh cold water for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the chicken thighs with the plain yogurt, tomato paste, crushed garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, hawaij spice blend, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, black pepper and 1 tsp of the salt until fully coated. Let it sit while you prepare the pot.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden at the edges.
Push the onion to one side, add the chicken thighs in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes per side until lightly browned. The yogurt marinade will darken; that is expected.
Pour in 200 ml of the hot chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaf and green cardamom pods. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the chicken is nearly cooked through.
Lift the chicken out onto a plate. Stir the drained rice into the spiced liquid in the pot, then pour in the remaining 450 ml hot chicken broth and add the remaining 0.5 tsp salt and the smoked paprika. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Nestle the chicken thighs back on top of the rice, cover tightly and cook over low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, without stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, discard the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and scatter over the raisins and toasted almonds before serving.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is skipping the rice soak. Twenty minutes in cold water keeps the basmati grains long and separate instead of sticky.
- Do not stir the rice once the chicken goes back in. Stirring releases starch and turns mendi rice gluey; tilt the pot gently if you need to check the liquid.
- The rice is done when the grains are tender, the liquid is fully absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface. If there is still liquid, cover and cook 3 more minutes on low.
- A heavy pot with a tight lid matters here. If your lid is loose, place a sheet of foil over the pot before covering to trap the steam.
Substitutions
- chicken thighs→bone-in chicken drumsticks or a small whole chicken cut into pieces
- plain yogurt→full-fat Greek yogurt or 100 ml coconut milk for a dairy-free version
- hawaij spice blend→1 tsp ground turmeric plus 1 tsp ground cardamom
- basmati rice→aged long-grain rice such as jasmine, though the texture will be softer
- toasted almonds→toasted pine nuts or cashews
Storage & reheating
Cool the mendi rice and chicken within 1 hour, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the rice and chicken together so the grains stay moist. To reheat, sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp water over the rice, cover with a lid or foil and warm in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or microwave in 1-minute bursts until steaming. Do not freeze the rice, as basmati turns grainy and watery after thawing; the chicken alone can be frozen for up to 2 months.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my mendi rice turn out sticky and clumped?
Sticky rice almost always means the basmati was not rinsed and soaked, or the pot was stirred during cooking. Rinse until the water is clear, soak for 20 minutes, and leave the rice undisturbed once the chicken is back on top. Also check that you used the full 650 ml broth for 400 g rice; too little liquid forces you to stir and crush the grains.
Can I make Yemeni mendi rice ahead of time?
You can marinate the chicken in the yogurt and spice mixture up to 24 hours in advance, covered in the fridge. The full dish is best eaten fresh, but it can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and reheated gently with a splash of water. The toasted almonds and raisins should be added just before serving so they stay crisp.
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?
The chicken is done when the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C. The meat should pull away from the bone with little resistance. If you are unsure, cover the pot and cook 5 more minutes on low, then rest before checking again.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breasts dry out quickly in this long-cook method. If using breast, sear it briefly, remove it after 10 minutes of simmering, and return it to the pot only for the final 8 minutes of rice cooking. Bone-in thighs or drumsticks give the juiciest result.
What can I use if I do not have hawaij spice blend?
A simple substitute is 1 tsp ground turmeric plus 1 tsp ground cardamom, with a pinch of ground cloves if you have them. Hawaij varies by region, but the turmeric-cardamom combination gives the closest color and aroma. Adjust the salt after tasting the broth.
Why is my rice still firm after the cooking time?
The most likely cause is heat that was too low or a lid that let steam escape. Add 60 ml hot broth or water, cover tightly with foil under the lid, and cook on low for 5 more minutes. Let it rest 10 minutes off the heat before fluffing, as the grains continue to soften in the trapped steam.
Can I add vegetables to mendi rice?
Yes. Diced carrots, potatoes or peas can be added with the rice in step 6; add an extra 100 ml broth because the vegetables absorb liquid. Root vegetables should be cut into 2 cm pieces so they cook through in the same 20 minutes as the rice.
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