Lamb Shank and Rice – Mediterranean Mandi Recipe
"If you’re a fan of subtle Arabic spices and deep Mediterranean flavors, you’ve found the perfect recipe to make. This Lamb Shank and Rice recipe is popularly known as ‘Mandi’ in the Arabian peninsula and originated from Yemen, made from a notable blend of spices, consisting of meat and rice mainly."
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Serves : 3-4
Preparation Time : 10 min
Cooking Time: 60 min
Total Time : 70 min
Allergens:What makes Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi Recipe Healthy?
Who doesn’t love Lamb? It’s one of the most delicious red meats. And lamb is also healthy as it’s lean meat and packed with nutrition. It delivers a good amount of protein, rich in Potassium and Vitamin B-12 and loaded with Iron, Selenium, Magnesium and Omega-3 Fatty acids. Since the recipe calls for boiling or slow-cooking the meat, its a healthy way to include it in your diet rather than frying or grilling which causes meats to lose most of the healthy nutritional content from them.
Ingredients to make Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi Recipe
1 tbsp Cardamom pods
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Black Cumin seeds
3 2-inch Cinnamon Sticks
15 Cloves
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
2 2” Dried Ginger
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
4 Bay leaves
2 Mace pieces
½ Nutmeg
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Lamb Shanks
2 cups Jasmine Rice
Salt (to taste)
1 black lemon
1 tbsp Ghee
1 cup Fried Onions
10-12 Soaked Almonds (for garnish)
10 Raisins (for garnish)
Coal and oil (for smoking)
Steps to make Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi Recipe
Step 1 : To make the Lamb Shank and Rice (Mandi) spice blend, all the whole spices are to be roasted lightly over a low flame for about 5 minutes and grinded to fine powder. Add in the turmeric Powder to the spice blend and you can keep this stored in your pantry for whenever you want to make this plate of deliciousness.
Step 2 : Clean out the Lamb Shanks under cold running water and put it in an instant pot. Add 1 heaped tablespoon of the Spice Blend with Salt and about 4 cups of water to it and let it pressure cook for about 45-minutes or Slow-cook for 90 minutes.
Step 3 : While the meat is tenderising, fry some thinly sliced onions till they are golden-brown, almonds and raisins too for garnishing.
Step 4 : Wash the rice under cold running water until the water becomes clear. Put it in the instant pot. Add one black lemon to it.
Step 5 : When the lamb shanks are completely done (you will know when the meat can be effortlessly pulled by a fork), take the broth of the shanks and add it to the washed rice.
Step 6 : Taste the broth if it lacks flavor, and if it does add a teaspoon of the spice mix along with some salt. Turn on the ‘Rice’ setting on the instant pot and let it do it’s magic.
Step 7 : Now take a small bowl with ghee or butter and add a teaspoon of the spice blend, mix it thoroughly and glaze it to the lamb shanks.
Step 8 : Cover them completely and place them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, flipping it halfway.
Step 9 : Heat some coal on fire. When the rice is done, place the shanks on top of it and make a bowl with aluminium foil and place the heated coals in it. Add some oil and you will see smoke coming off. Cover with a lid and let it sit for around 2-5 minutes for the smouldering smoky flavor.
Step 10 : Now plate the dish with the lamb shanks on top of the bed of fluffy soft jasmine rice and garnish with fried onions, almonds and raisins.
How to store Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi?
This plate of tasty goodness can be stored in a plastic/glass container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. However, the spice blend of Lamb Shank and Rice – Mediterranean Mandi can be stored for up to a year.
What can you substitute in Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi Recipe?
You can substitute the lamb Shanks for any part of the lamb or any meat of your choice, the procedure remains the same.
Sides to try with Lamb Shank and Rice - Mediterranean Mandi
To elevate the flavors and richness of taste, you can try Shatta on the side. It’s a special blend of Tomatoes and some herbs that gives a fresh, zesty flavour to the dish.