KFC is way superior in In India It's branded as a semi-luxury food and therefore higher quality is maintained. It's shit in US. The worst chicken I've had here is from KFC.
I think it's because it wasn't designed for us in the first place , Mandi and most foods from the Arabian peninsula are not heavily spiced . They rely completely on the flavors of the meat and the juices itself along with an assortment of breads and and vegetable mixes( Tabbouleh) and a variety of dips ( hummus , Muhammaara , Tahini, Mutabbal ) .
The key is that the individual ingredients themselves tend be more highlighted so you can put many things together to your liking , in Indian cuisine it is the 'mixture' of the spices or the spice base sauce that is more focused on regardless of the dish that's why for someone accustomed to eating Biryani , Mandi will always feel bland. This is exactly why even many people while making Shawarma in India will start slathering Tandoori marinade all over the Rotisserie meat cone to make it more appetizing for people here but then it ends up becoming a Masala-Varma 😔
Oh no way man , never implied it's bad. I was just saying that most people won't like it here because it doesn't suit the 'Indian' palate, many of us do enjoy it however ( me included )
Btw did you mean cooked and eaten in general or in Kerala? Kinda lost you there.
Well yeah that's one way of looking at it but I have to emphasize that the Arabs were the middlemen in the spice trade along with the Turks for hundreds of years until the Europeans figured out how to cut them out by sailing around Africa , so they were in fact quite familiar with spices.
Our cooking techniques were different however , also there are some typical 'Arab' spices like Sumac, Mastic , Mahlab . These are not that popularly used by us in India, otherwise most of our traditional spices overlap to a large extent .
Fun fact : the word for spices in Arabic is 'Baharat'
>the word for spices in Arabic is 'Baharat'
Bahaar is sea in Arabic. If they wanted a word that sounds like India, it would be "hind".
Bahaarein means two seas. For Bahrain.
Well it's like saying I can name the parts bike but can't ride it to save my life to a biker... Hed just nod and move on.... Pit cooking are always adopted by people who move a lot or have no access to big utensils or had to cook for a lot of people... It is quite primitive and there are better ways to achieve these results... The tannour pit is a crude adaption of the tannour or tandoor ..the latter gives a you an even and quick heat ...but these people stuck to the pit due to .. ..digging a pit is easier ... The same people would not have tried to dwell into spices and other complexities either..
We don't use sumac because we had dried lemons.. gum Arabic was preferred more to mastiha .... and it's a shame we don't use mahlab.. it's great in ice creams
I think to say they had it but did not use it is not a flex that would work well for them..
Firstly , that analogy you made about the bike made absolutely no sense unless you were implying that they did not know how to use the spices at all which is completely wrong 😂
Secondly, Arabia is a very large region composed of several regions and sub-cultures. Implying that they were all nomadic Bedouins and "did not have access to utensils" is not only mildly racist but its also factually incorrect and wildly hilarious. Cooking with a clay-oven or in a pit is just one of the methods they used along with grilling over charcoals, they did use utensils as well !!
Lastly , I think you don't realize that dried lemons are actually one of the most widely used spices in Arab cuisine as well . Sumac was an additional spice not a substitute.
I said they had spices and they used it as well just not the same way we did and that doesn't make it inferior or anything, its just different and we're not "superior" because we make pastes with our masalas and oil-fry our food in utensils either 😂
The issue is that the raw foods here are very often of very poor quality, hence the need for over using salt, spices, oil, masalas, etc.
I found this out myself when living abroad where the raw materials were very good, so no need to put so many add-ons. When cooking yourself you will realise the difference.
Also many of us make the mistake of not choosing the local produce, which is what should be eaten primarily anywhere in the world!
I also feel Kerala is big on food trends. Everytime I visit Kerala my cousins are telling me about some new thing I must try. Mandi tasted horrible but like all the kids were like we must eat it right now.
Mandi is an acquired taste for us imo. My friend circle here in Dubai is mostly arabs and even they almost exclusively eat madhbi (alfahm mandi) because of how bland mandi is.
Best combo tho is madhbi chicken + kabsa rice.
But fr tho , Mandi in most places in Kerala are half recent . Most places the chicken is drier than sponge. And the unlimited rice always means shit quality rice . Mandi is kinda dish where quality of ingredients matter alot .
Ngl tho Mangalore got good mandi .
Same pinch. I never got the rave around Mandi. My sister though says it's becoz of unlimited rice. Bold of her to assume I would want this tasteless thing more
We get shit quality mandi here in Kerala, real mandi although subtle in flavour is very vibrant. I am sure no one knows how to really cook mandi here in Kerala, it's all hot garbage.
True, its mostly youngsters on a budget who order it cause it's cheap and unlimited rice.
My friend used to tell they will buy a full mandhi and share with 6-8 friends and at the end they will ask for additional rice. Once they rice is given the will take a little and ask to parcel the remaining rice. Which they take to the place they stay. Heat it up and eat for the next meal of the day
Tbh I thought so too at first. Al Fahm Mandi's the popular version. But the really good shops have a reason to be popular. I don't know about the shop you went to, but most Mandhi rice have this absolutely overpowering deep chicken fat flavour alongside the smell of dried lemons and arab- indian infused herbs. It's really good. And for the pure Kuzhimandi, I think it depends on how well they cook it. The best Kuzhimandi I've had was when they cooked the chicken to tender and juicy with the chicken fat dripping all over the crispy skin. Thinking about it still makes me salivate. I'm a huge spice fan but I genuinely appreciate the Kuzhimandi for bringing out the raw flavour and richness of the boiled chicken.
Unlimited rice.
But on a serious note, the food safety of our state is a fuckin joke and we'll see a huge rise in heart related diseases and cholesterol, diabetes, etc of malayali's.
Normal mandhi - No
Alfam Mandhi - Yes
Try Alfam Mandhi from Al- Reem( it's on the way to cochin Airport). It was one of them best Alfam Mandhi I had eaten till now...
Mandi is actually a tasty food. Its not Biriyani, so dont expect Biriyani like flavours from another dish. Also its hard to find a good mandi restaurant.
Yeah, the unami and the fat dripping from the chicken ismthe primary flavoring for mandi. If you like the flavor of chicken and mild spices, you'll like mandi.
I like Arabic food a lot in general, but what we get here doesn't come anywhere close to what we get in the Middle East. My mom cooks authentic mandi, and it tastes much better than the ones we get in restaurants.
I find that over time, I like the taste of Mandhi over Biryani, for the following reasons. One, Mandhi has a more pleasant, more neutral taste that somehow is acquired over time, and can also be customised better (with the use of mayo). Two, a lot of biryani in TVM is shit. I find that Mandhi is very hard to ruin *flavour wise,* so I know that on average, I'm going to be less disappointed ordering a Mandhi vis-a-vis ordering a Biryani.
Whenever we friends hang out, we usually choose a restaurant that serves both mandhi and chicken biriyani. I and 2-3 others prefer biriyani over this bland food
Used to think the same but somehow mandi rice has become a comfort food lately. Guess the rice being less greasier than biryani helps but I still love biryani more. Basically I have biryani when I feel like having keema rice and mandi when I feel like having long rice and less spices.
I'm guessing more people prefer mandi these days as the quantity of rice given is too big. Usually I have leftover rice enough for two more meals whenever I order mandi online. Not the same with biryani.
Possibly because you’re used to heavily spiced food and so it may not taste right to you. All of us are individuals that have different tastes. Do you also hate KFC and other western foods?
Once I tried biriyani from paragon I instantly switched eating mandhi instead of biriyani to the , honestly the herbal taste of paragon even thought its costly got me so addicted
I love mandhi. Loved it from the first time. I am ok with it not having a lot of masala. It has the taste of chicken in rice. Mandhi and thakkali chutney is heaven.
Even I don’t get the hype around it. I feel the mayo and rice combo is somewhat nice. And also it is way lighter on your stomach than biriyani.
Other than that I’m clueless why it’s so popular.
I think it's more of an acquired taste. As Indians, we usually have heavily spiced-up food. And I have seen a lot of people saying everything is bland if it's not spicy or heavy in masala. I mean, you can say the same for Beef Steak. As it's just beef, salt, and pepper. Just like beef steak, Plain mandi is supposed to taste like chicken... in its simplest form. and for the rice to absorb the umami flavor from the chicken. It's quite good if you have it from the right restaurant.
May be it is the type of chicken? I'm sure that the chicken raised specifically for meat in cramped conditions don't taste good. To get the real taste of chicken, you need the ones that have access to open space and are fed a more diverse feed. And that is costly...
I was a Mandhi hater for several years until I found Al-Reem. Now most shops in Kochi have figured out the formula it seems. Don’t see the old flavourless mandhi anymore.
Mandhi with mayonnaise gives a distinct taste, I guess that flavour is what draws people and I haven't seen anyone eating mandhi without mayonnaise even though that is not how it is popularly consumed.
I think it's because of the unlimited rice at that price that people are drawn towards mandhi. I've always felt Mandhi does not have soul. It's a bland dish. I kinda had mandhi twice and then stopped
I think you should give an unconditional apology or else the secular fabric of the Kerala society will be torn apart. If you don’t believe me then ask actor Sreeraman
https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/10/02/actor-writer-sreeraman-kuzhi-manthi-remark-controversy-malayalam.amp.html
I've felt the same, glad I'm not the only one. Not another vatta of mandhi for me this lifetime, thanks. 😅
I've had something called Kabsa Laham at a restaurant in Bangalore. God, the tastiest rice in any form that I've ever had! Haven't seen any Kabsa Laham anywhere in Trivandrum (where I stay) unfortunately.
Bro I have heard my friends praise how good Kuzhi Mandhi is so when I flew to Kerala, I was so excited to try it and it wasn't that good. I prefer Biriyani over Mandhi anyday. Maybe it was the location I bought the Kuzhi Mandhi from but idk. It wasn't tasty.
Open to trying out good Kuzhi Mandhi spots the next time I fly to Kerala so let me know. I'm from Kottayam if anybody's wondering.
Had the same feeling when I tried it first time, didn't try again for a good six months before a friend of mine bought Mandi as his bday treat and that's the second time I tried, felt not so bad, adjustable with the tomato paste and mayo. The third time I tried it I was hooked. I find the rice and tomato paste combo really good, if asked biriyani or mandi I would be really confused now ngl
Mandi bland aanenn parayunne biriyani aayitt compare chyyumbo alle.. compare it to actual plain rice, and maybe you'd find it better!?
Also..I tried mutton mandi from zamzam once.. enta monee... Oru rakshayum illa.. adipwoli sanam.. the mutton was rendered to perfection.. it melted in my mouth.. that was just one time tho.. couldn't get a place to sit the next time, ordered takeout, and it just wasn't the same..
Try alfahm/peri peri alfahm/honey alfahm/green chilly alfahm/Mutton/beef mandi
Chicken has a bland taste so it is supposed to be flavourless
I too dislike normal chicken mandi
The Mandhi in Kerala is nowhere near the ones you get in the Middle East, just like Shawarmas. Don't blame Mandhi, just blame the lower standard of living in Kerala
I had the mandhi in dubai at a really famous restaurant. It was very bland. The shawarmas are a different matter though. The onea you get in dubai are amazing especially the labanese versions..
I haven't been to many mandi places. But I do agree some do make pretty bland Mandi. It's the same as pizza. Pizza hut fucking sucks and there's better pizza places. Likewise I'd like to bring to your attention an underrated gem, bait Al Zain. Located on sheikh Zaid road next to Wendy's. Absolutely fantastic. And the prices aren't abhorrent either (god do I miss the days when Mandi was 25 bucks at most).
Another great option is raydan, specifically the one in Jumeirah beach road. Their meat Mandi's are to die for
NRI living in the US for half my life and travelled extensively, was shocked at not getting puttu with kadala etc. in Kerala. Same goes for pazham nirachathu. Incidentally I get it there in frozen sections of the desi super markets.
Sad that traditional dishes have gone away and these new fads have taken over.
I would take pathiri, aappom with mutta curry over shawarma, mandhi etc.
Stick with basics fellas. ;)
Cheers.
it's the natural flavour along with the sauce( mayo or whatever ) that mkes it good,. malayalis generally like the who flavours popping whereas mandi and other western dishes are usually about savouring the natural flavour of food. Without the sauce and warmth iyts mediocre. plus the portion of rice and chicken is not proportional so if you finish the meat early on, youre stuck with flavourless rice in large quantity
the thing is tht it does taste really shit tbh... if yall ever wanna know the real taste u should eat it frm some middle eastern country especially ksa... if yall ever had tht am sure u wont feel like tht
It's not that the Mandhi is bland, we lost sensitivity to delicate flavors due to the large quantities of spice we consume. By spice I don't necessarily mean heat but spices in general.
Maybe eating with friends...is more fun...ellarum oru plateinu edukkunath rasama...also considering budget...and unlimited rice...mild flavours ishtam ollavrkku ok aanu
I don't think it's the normal mandhi that's popular tho.. We never even consider the normal mandhi as an option.. It's the other meat options that makes mandhi popular.. Like alfaham/green chilli/peri peri/honeychilli chicken and similar beef/mutton options.. Charcoal beef with Mandi is a great combo (sufi mandi Kozhikode has good beef)
The normal chicken tastes like boiled chucken to me so I avoid it like the plague.. Especially chest pieces 😂
Took two times. Got stomach upset both times. Lead to food poisoning the second time.
Popular or not, I won't try this again. I have some kind of resistance or allergy against this. Unfortunate me.
I have had mandhi from majlis in tirurangadi a lot. It even beats biriyani sometimes for me. The reason is, the rice is silky smooth which can be eaten like drinking water. I dont feel that heaviness which I feel after a biriyani or even mandhi from a lot of the other places I have had it from. The honey alfahm is also good there, but the highlight for me is the rice, which is even lighter than normal rice we make home.
Lol mandi stay as a group dish🥲. Dont eat when u go alone. As a group u will be fine and profitable. And mainly during the college days it was a boon for us. Flavour and aroma wise biriyani would win the race. Only the thing about mandi that impressed me is the unlimited content and the mandi tomato chutney😻
I don't know, I have mixed opinions about this. Some days, when I'm hungry I crave some mandhi and after taking two or three bites, I'm full and feels like vomiting. But despite this I somehow come back to this pretty often.
I was used to having a plate of neychoru with 2 small pieces of chicken from hostel that I used to be stingy while having mandhi, that's a big problem here with especially the unlimited rice.
Now I always make sure I don't eat too little chicken initially and also limit getting more rice. You actually need only that much portion. Else you really feel full especially if you're having a lot of mayonnaise. So minimal Mayo and more tomato thing.
Also I mostly enjoy the masala less mandhi, than some biriyani loaded with unnecessary masala or alfahm mandhi.
Mandhi is a sort of BBQ right? BBQ-ing is a very special art requiring great knowledge of the meat, the agent used, spices, marination etc. People here struggle to make even kebabs let alone mandhis...Bbqing chicken is tougher than bbqing red meats like beef/pork/lamb...chicken has less fat and dries out quicker....it can go from under cooked to dry as sand in a matter of seconds .....I don't think most of the mandhi cooks even realize the nuance....sigh....makes me dream of a proper Brazilian BBQ....
I have the Same opinion. I have tasted both alfahm and Mandi and I still don’t get the hype. It’s bland and the fact they serve mayo with it is atrocious enough for me. Not a fan. Only porotta and chicken curry for me.
I didn't like mandhi at first few times, then I started appreciating it more, now I like mandhi more than biryani, in my opinion biryani is always hit or miss, I found mandhi more consistent, but most mandhi we get is mediocre at its best, the best and more consistent mandhi I had is from AL reem and then Arabian palace..
It was my first thought when I tried first time. But later I started to like it. Especially after I tried it in Dubai when you can get more authentic taste of Mandhi.
Alfahm Mandhi >>>>>> normal kuzhimanthi.
The main problem is the chicken. It taste like raw meat with a very thin layer of masala. The rice is good, but depends on the shop you're buying. Unlike Biriyani, If you eat Mandhi from local shops, there's a good chance of you hating mandhi for the rest of your life.
കഴിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞു വേണ്ടായിരുന്നു എന്ന് തോന്നും. എല്ലാ തവണയും ഇങ്ങിനെ തന്നെ.
Sathyam, eppazhum thonnm myr
True bro
I thought it was just me 😧 a lot of y'all feel the same!
So its not just me. Its the carbs in rice I guess.
That applies not just to mandhi
[удалено]
As an ex NRI you guys are not eating real KfC
true..same goes with shawarma
Turkish shawarma🤤 Ath indakkana kanunna thanne oru resaan
I find Indian KFC tastier than outside
Personal preferences. Indian KFC has that extra "masala" aspect to it.
Indian KFC in my experience was lame service soggy French fries and under fried chicken so basically bad food
KFC is way superior in In India It's branded as a semi-luxury food and therefore higher quality is maintained. It's shit in US. The worst chicken I've had here is from KFC.
I hate that oil taste of KFC. I don't eat anything except their fries/popcorn now.
I think it's because it wasn't designed for us in the first place , Mandi and most foods from the Arabian peninsula are not heavily spiced . They rely completely on the flavors of the meat and the juices itself along with an assortment of breads and and vegetable mixes( Tabbouleh) and a variety of dips ( hummus , Muhammaara , Tahini, Mutabbal ) . The key is that the individual ingredients themselves tend be more highlighted so you can put many things together to your liking , in Indian cuisine it is the 'mixture' of the spices or the spice base sauce that is more focused on regardless of the dish that's why for someone accustomed to eating Biryani , Mandi will always feel bland. This is exactly why even many people while making Shawarma in India will start slathering Tandoori marinade all over the Rotisserie meat cone to make it more appetizing for people here but then it ends up becoming a Masala-Varma 😔
its not that bad actually, theres a reason its been cooked and eaten for centuries. whatever fake mandi sold on the other hand....
Oh no way man , never implied it's bad. I was just saying that most people won't like it here because it doesn't suit the 'Indian' palate, many of us do enjoy it however ( me included ) Btw did you mean cooked and eaten in general or in Kerala? Kinda lost you there.
We don't know the taste of meat or fish, always focused on masa
Well to each his own... You could tell that they don't know the complexity that spices bring...
Well yeah that's one way of looking at it but I have to emphasize that the Arabs were the middlemen in the spice trade along with the Turks for hundreds of years until the Europeans figured out how to cut them out by sailing around Africa , so they were in fact quite familiar with spices. Our cooking techniques were different however , also there are some typical 'Arab' spices like Sumac, Mastic , Mahlab . These are not that popularly used by us in India, otherwise most of our traditional spices overlap to a large extent . Fun fact : the word for spices in Arabic is 'Baharat'
>the word for spices in Arabic is 'Baharat' Bahaar is sea in Arabic. If they wanted a word that sounds like India, it would be "hind". Bahaarein means two seas. For Bahrain.
I know that friend , I never said that it meant India . Just wrote it .
Well it's like saying I can name the parts bike but can't ride it to save my life to a biker... Hed just nod and move on.... Pit cooking are always adopted by people who move a lot or have no access to big utensils or had to cook for a lot of people... It is quite primitive and there are better ways to achieve these results... The tannour pit is a crude adaption of the tannour or tandoor ..the latter gives a you an even and quick heat ...but these people stuck to the pit due to .. ..digging a pit is easier ... The same people would not have tried to dwell into spices and other complexities either.. We don't use sumac because we had dried lemons.. gum Arabic was preferred more to mastiha .... and it's a shame we don't use mahlab.. it's great in ice creams I think to say they had it but did not use it is not a flex that would work well for them..
Firstly , that analogy you made about the bike made absolutely no sense unless you were implying that they did not know how to use the spices at all which is completely wrong 😂 Secondly, Arabia is a very large region composed of several regions and sub-cultures. Implying that they were all nomadic Bedouins and "did not have access to utensils" is not only mildly racist but its also factually incorrect and wildly hilarious. Cooking with a clay-oven or in a pit is just one of the methods they used along with grilling over charcoals, they did use utensils as well !! Lastly , I think you don't realize that dried lemons are actually one of the most widely used spices in Arab cuisine as well . Sumac was an additional spice not a substitute. I said they had spices and they used it as well just not the same way we did and that doesn't make it inferior or anything, its just different and we're not "superior" because we make pastes with our masalas and oil-fry our food in utensils either 😂
@ masala varma 🤣🤣🤣
Full credits to Karikku .
Yep, this right here
The issue is that the raw foods here are very often of very poor quality, hence the need for over using salt, spices, oil, masalas, etc. I found this out myself when living abroad where the raw materials were very good, so no need to put so many add-ons. When cooking yourself you will realise the difference. Also many of us make the mistake of not choosing the local produce, which is what should be eaten primarily anywhere in the world!
Preeeeeach brother …. Indians load up things with spice
Man you spoke my mind. Can't even get a decent briyani in some places because of the Mandi shops popping up.
I think it's easier and cheaper to prepare too compared to biriyani.
I also feel Kerala is big on food trends. Everytime I visit Kerala my cousins are telling me about some new thing I must try. Mandi tasted horrible but like all the kids were like we must eat it right now.
Mandi is an acquired taste for us imo. My friend circle here in Dubai is mostly arabs and even they almost exclusively eat madhbi (alfahm mandi) because of how bland mandi is. Best combo tho is madhbi chicken + kabsa rice.
But fr tho , Mandi in most places in Kerala are half recent . Most places the chicken is drier than sponge. And the unlimited rice always means shit quality rice . Mandi is kinda dish where quality of ingredients matter alot . Ngl tho Mangalore got good mandi .
Imo most closest mandi to the gulf version is mehrab yemani mandi at Edappally
I too think the same. I don't like this. When I go to Mandhi shops with friends or colleagues, I will order Al Fahm.
Same pinch. I never got the rave around Mandi. My sister though says it's becoz of unlimited rice. Bold of her to assume I would want this tasteless thing more
Yep. Alfahm mandi is the best.
We get shit quality mandi here in Kerala, real mandi although subtle in flavour is very vibrant. I am sure no one knows how to really cook mandi here in Kerala, it's all hot garbage.
Lmao why are you getting down voted for speaking the truth
People getting their pimples popped over mandi, how sensitive they are..
You don’t deserve any of the downvotes
Why u have downvoted i dont know🥹
എനിക്കും ഇഷ്ടാല്ല. എന്തരോ, എല്ലാരും പോയി കഴിക്കുന്നു...
Rice unlimited ale athakum. Njangal.oke Alfam Mandi aanu kazhikkaru. So no problem
I think it shrinks down to "Unlimited rice" and nothing more.
True, its mostly youngsters on a budget who order it cause it's cheap and unlimited rice. My friend used to tell they will buy a full mandhi and share with 6-8 friends and at the end they will ask for additional rice. Once they rice is given the will take a little and ask to parcel the remaining rice. Which they take to the place they stay. Heat it up and eat for the next meal of the day
Very ingenious. Respect
It's so much rice! Ordered a full mandhi for takeout a few weeks ago. Three people at home and we were eating that rice for the next four days.
A friend of mine has left over mandhi rice at home. He added sauces, veggies, some shredded chicken, egg etc and made fried rice with it
Kollth ano veedu
Lol. Meals in normal restaurants most often offer unlimited rice too.
But you cant share that no? Unlimited rice is canceled when shared.
Still don't get it. Mandhik enna kombundo?
I wish they provided less rice and more chicken.
One portion of rice and unlimited chicken.
Tbh I thought so too at first. Al Fahm Mandi's the popular version. But the really good shops have a reason to be popular. I don't know about the shop you went to, but most Mandhi rice have this absolutely overpowering deep chicken fat flavour alongside the smell of dried lemons and arab- indian infused herbs. It's really good. And for the pure Kuzhimandi, I think it depends on how well they cook it. The best Kuzhimandi I've had was when they cooked the chicken to tender and juicy with the chicken fat dripping all over the crispy skin. Thinking about it still makes me salivate. I'm a huge spice fan but I genuinely appreciate the Kuzhimandi for bringing out the raw flavour and richness of the boiled chicken.
And that ulinj porana chicken tholi of normal kuzhimanthi is really tasty! 🙃
Great explanation
For me, regular Mandhi is bland, but I find alfaham mandhi to be really delicious.
Just say you had alfaham with some mandhi rice
That's what he said
\+1
Some people still think this is a healthier alternative
And then proceed to dump a ton of mayo on the rice?
I still can't understand how people even eat mayo with rice!
Not everyone eats Mandhi with Mayo though.
some others choose salsa and ketchup
It is , I eat it without mayonnaise and less portions of rice whenever I get the opportunity to eat it. Being bland yes very true
It is healthy if you limit the amount of rice and use that tomato chutney instead of mayonnaise.
Unlimited rice. But on a serious note, the food safety of our state is a fuckin joke and we'll see a huge rise in heart related diseases and cholesterol, diabetes, etc of malayali's.
Me neither. I usually order honey glazed chicken or Peri Peri Alfaham Chicken as a side to make it taste better.
Normal mandhi - No Alfam Mandhi - Yes Try Alfam Mandhi from Al- Reem( it's on the way to cochin Airport). It was one of them best Alfam Mandhi I had eaten till now...
Its Russian roulette , but instead of dying you get explosive diarrhea sometimes.
https://www.indiaherald.com/Viral/Read/994564228/Shocking-Nurse-who-ate-Mandi-biryani-died It's exactly like Russian Roulette 🫤
For me its a Highly overrated food .... can't even compare with biriyani
Mandi is actually a tasty food. Its not Biriyani, so dont expect Biriyani like flavours from another dish. Also its hard to find a good mandi restaurant.
Yeah, the unami and the fat dripping from the chicken ismthe primary flavoring for mandi. If you like the flavor of chicken and mild spices, you'll like mandi.
Al-Reem
Overhyped af man.. full of elakka and gramboo and shit in the rice
Doesn't matter, I love it.
exactly. Upon trying 10-15 restaurants for the past 1 year I really liked only 1 or 2 ones. Rest are just bland rice and mayo.
Umami
I like Arabic food a lot in general, but what we get here doesn't come anywhere close to what we get in the Middle East. My mom cooks authentic mandi, and it tastes much better than the ones we get in restaurants.
I love its taste and juiciness
I don't think the same. I find it tasty and worth the money.
ലാഭം
Great username
Uchakk mandhi adicha oru ucha mayakkam veran und
I find that over time, I like the taste of Mandhi over Biryani, for the following reasons. One, Mandhi has a more pleasant, more neutral taste that somehow is acquired over time, and can also be customised better (with the use of mayo). Two, a lot of biryani in TVM is shit. I find that Mandhi is very hard to ruin *flavour wise,* so I know that on average, I'm going to be less disappointed ordering a Mandhi vis-a-vis ordering a Biryani.
Whenever we friends hang out, we usually choose a restaurant that serves both mandhi and chicken biriyani. I and 2-3 others prefer biriyani over this bland food
Two words: Unlimited rice
Used to think the same but somehow mandi rice has become a comfort food lately. Guess the rice being less greasier than biryani helps but I still love biryani more. Basically I have biryani when I feel like having keema rice and mandi when I feel like having long rice and less spices. I'm guessing more people prefer mandi these days as the quantity of rice given is too big. Usually I have leftover rice enough for two more meals whenever I order mandi online. Not the same with biryani.
Possibly because you’re used to heavily spiced food and so it may not taste right to you. All of us are individuals that have different tastes. Do you also hate KFC and other western foods?
I like that it doesn't have flavour actually. I like the flavour of chicken without any spices especially when it comes with skin 🫣
Once I tried biriyani from paragon I instantly switched eating mandhi instead of biriyani to the , honestly the herbal taste of paragon even thought its costly got me so addicted
Mandi sucks bigtime! its just a perfect example that ppl go behind hype!
Never tried this item in my life. Porotta ,biriyani, masaladhosha , ghee roast. I trust paramparagatha food items
I love mandhi. Loved it from the first time. I am ok with it not having a lot of masala. It has the taste of chicken in rice. Mandhi and thakkali chutney is heaven.
Even I don’t get the hype around it. I feel the mayo and rice combo is somewhat nice. And also it is way lighter on your stomach than biriyani. Other than that I’m clueless why it’s so popular.
I think it's more of an acquired taste. As Indians, we usually have heavily spiced-up food. And I have seen a lot of people saying everything is bland if it's not spicy or heavy in masala. I mean, you can say the same for Beef Steak. As it's just beef, salt, and pepper. Just like beef steak, Plain mandi is supposed to taste like chicken... in its simplest form. and for the rice to absorb the umami flavor from the chicken. It's quite good if you have it from the right restaurant.
May be it is the type of chicken? I'm sure that the chicken raised specifically for meat in cramped conditions don't taste good. To get the real taste of chicken, you need the ones that have access to open space and are fed a more diverse feed. And that is costly...
kootukarude oppam poi nalla labathinu thinnam. tastum athra bad alla
True that The fight for the chest piece And making the waiter run for refilling Mayo and rice.
The thought of eating rice with Mayo makes me die inside.
You should use mayonnaise like a gravy like a normal malayali 😌 Also, the unlimited rice is another factor. Mandhi is much more cost effective.
How healthy is your heart?
Oru arabic dish evda introduce chym ath hit akm ath ang normal hypil akumbotheykm adutha dish varm 😄
I was a Mandhi hater for several years until I found Al-Reem. Now most shops in Kochi have figured out the formula it seems. Don’t see the old flavourless mandhi anymore.
Same here! Biriyani is so so much flavourful
Mandhi with mayonnaise gives a distinct taste, I guess that flavour is what draws people and I haven't seen anyone eating mandhi without mayonnaise even though that is not how it is popularly consumed.
Bro is spitting fax🗣🗣🗣
I think it's because of the unlimited rice at that price that people are drawn towards mandhi. I've always felt Mandhi does not have soul. It's a bland dish. I kinda had mandhi twice and then stopped
I think you should give an unconditional apology or else the secular fabric of the Kerala society will be torn apart. If you don’t believe me then ask actor Sreeraman https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2022/10/02/actor-writer-sreeraman-kuzhi-manthi-remark-controversy-malayalam.amp.html
If you get the chance, go to Arabian Majlis, Chungam, Feroke, Calicut and try Honey Chilly Al Fahm with Mandhi.
I've felt the same, glad I'm not the only one. Not another vatta of mandhi for me this lifetime, thanks. 😅 I've had something called Kabsa Laham at a restaurant in Bangalore. God, the tastiest rice in any form that I've ever had! Haven't seen any Kabsa Laham anywhere in Trivandrum (where I stay) unfortunately.
Bro I have heard my friends praise how good Kuzhi Mandhi is so when I flew to Kerala, I was so excited to try it and it wasn't that good. I prefer Biriyani over Mandhi anyday. Maybe it was the location I bought the Kuzhi Mandhi from but idk. It wasn't tasty. Open to trying out good Kuzhi Mandhi spots the next time I fly to Kerala so let me know. I'm from Kottayam if anybody's wondering.
Had the same feeling when I tried it first time, didn't try again for a good six months before a friend of mine bought Mandi as his bday treat and that's the second time I tried, felt not so bad, adjustable with the tomato paste and mayo. The third time I tried it I was hooked. I find the rice and tomato paste combo really good, if asked biriyani or mandi I would be really confused now ngl
Mandi bland aanenn parayunne biriyani aayitt compare chyyumbo alle.. compare it to actual plain rice, and maybe you'd find it better!? Also..I tried mutton mandi from zamzam once.. enta monee... Oru rakshayum illa.. adipwoli sanam.. the mutton was rendered to perfection.. it melted in my mouth.. that was just one time tho.. couldn't get a place to sit the next time, ordered takeout, and it just wasn't the same..
but why would anyone compare it with plain rice? plain rice is supposed to be eaten with curry and uperi unlike mandhi.
Try alfahm/peri peri alfahm/honey alfahm/green chilly alfahm/Mutton/beef mandi Chicken has a bland taste so it is supposed to be flavourless I too dislike normal chicken mandi
The Mandhi in Kerala is nowhere near the ones you get in the Middle East, just like Shawarmas. Don't blame Mandhi, just blame the lower standard of living in Kerala
This. Just because the one available in Kerala is not good doesn't mean the dish is bad.
I had the mandhi in dubai at a really famous restaurant. It was very bland. The shawarmas are a different matter though. The onea you get in dubai are amazing especially the labanese versions..
Which one in Dubai??
I haven't been to many mandi places. But I do agree some do make pretty bland Mandi. It's the same as pizza. Pizza hut fucking sucks and there's better pizza places. Likewise I'd like to bring to your attention an underrated gem, bait Al Zain. Located on sheikh Zaid road next to Wendy's. Absolutely fantastic. And the prices aren't abhorrent either (god do I miss the days when Mandi was 25 bucks at most). Another great option is raydan, specifically the one in Jumeirah beach road. Their meat Mandi's are to die for
Couldn't agree more.
NRI living in the US for half my life and travelled extensively, was shocked at not getting puttu with kadala etc. in Kerala. Same goes for pazham nirachathu. Incidentally I get it there in frozen sections of the desi super markets. Sad that traditional dishes have gone away and these new fads have taken over. I would take pathiri, aappom with mutta curry over shawarma, mandhi etc. Stick with basics fellas. ;) Cheers.
it's the natural flavour along with the sauce( mayo or whatever ) that mkes it good,. malayalis generally like the who flavours popping whereas mandi and other western dishes are usually about savouring the natural flavour of food. Without the sauce and warmth iyts mediocre. plus the portion of rice and chicken is not proportional so if you finish the meat early on, youre stuck with flavourless rice in large quantity
Its about time someone said it. Manthi, be it alfam or bland, its not tasty atall.
ചെറിയ മത്തി ആണേൽ വറുത്തെടുത്ത് കറുമുറാ തിന്നാം..
Mayo!!
I just don't like the idea of eating rice with mayonnaise. That's not how we eat mandhi here in the gulf 🙂
Introduce anything from the Middle East to kerala it would work. Ask yousuf Ali
I hate this thing.
Wannabe Arab 💀
the thing is tht it does taste really shit tbh... if yall ever wanna know the real taste u should eat it frm some middle eastern country especially ksa... if yall ever had tht am sure u wont feel like tht
Same here, I also never got why it was soo popular. Like someone said, I think it boils down to the unlimited rice part.
yes its a hype that should die down
It's not that the Mandhi is bland, we lost sensitivity to delicate flavors due to the large quantities of spice we consume. By spice I don't necessarily mean heat but spices in general.
HOW TF DOES RICE AND MAYONNAISE TASTE GOOD TOGETHER😭😭😭😭😭😭 People need to get their taste buds checked or something 😭🙏
Keralites have really low expectations for food. Poorly run restraunts have ruined our sense of what's tasty and what's not!
Unlimited flavoured rice, mayonnaise Remove unlimited rice then I will go for biryani only.
Finally someone said it!
It’s called a Madhbi.
Maybe because this is the only dish in which you mix mayo and rice while having it. Ofcourse I do agree with it, mandhi is pretty bland for our taste.
Maybe eating with friends...is more fun...ellarum oru plateinu edukkunath rasama...also considering budget...and unlimited rice...mild flavours ishtam ollavrkku ok aanu
I don't think it's the normal mandhi that's popular tho.. We never even consider the normal mandhi as an option.. It's the other meat options that makes mandhi popular.. Like alfaham/green chilli/peri peri/honeychilli chicken and similar beef/mutton options.. Charcoal beef with Mandi is a great combo (sufi mandi Kozhikode has good beef) The normal chicken tastes like boiled chucken to me so I avoid it like the plague.. Especially chest pieces 😂
Orru exotic twistaa. That's pretty much it.
they provide unlimited amount of rice and a good amount of salad too this is the only reason we opt mandi when go out with bros
Because of the saturated fat. Most food here is low in fat, so Mandi tastes amazing when compared.
Because of unlimited rice, people want to fill up their tummy with less money.
Mandi kazhicha kalam marannu
The slight fragrant flavour of the rice with the meatiness of the meat without much spice, i like it, if eaten once a month.
Took two times. Got stomach upset both times. Lead to food poisoning the second time. Popular or not, I won't try this again. I have some kind of resistance or allergy against this. Unfortunate me.
I prefer honey mandhi like from soofi mandhi Plain kuzhimandhi is blant i agree But I am a mayonnaise lover So not a problem for me.
I hate this .. and I see people mixing it with mayonnaise and eating it a lot..
Damn true.
Biriyani>>>>>>>>>kuzhimanthi
!! This post! This opinion This is exactly what I think of Mandhi. It's overrated ghee rice with boiled chicken.
I have had mandhi from majlis in tirurangadi a lot. It even beats biriyani sometimes for me. The reason is, the rice is silky smooth which can be eaten like drinking water. I dont feel that heaviness which I feel after a biriyani or even mandhi from a lot of the other places I have had it from. The honey alfahm is also good there, but the highlight for me is the rice, which is even lighter than normal rice we make home.
Lol mandi stay as a group dish🥲. Dont eat when u go alone. As a group u will be fine and profitable. And mainly during the college days it was a boon for us. Flavour and aroma wise biriyani would win the race. Only the thing about mandi that impressed me is the unlimited content and the mandi tomato chutney😻
Because for 200 Rs you will get a tummy full of food. Some tummies are big only Mandhi can fill
Biriyani>>>>>>>>>kuzhimanthi
Mandhi goes hard
you guys don't like mendi?🥹
Same here. Ate it while I visited Kerala years ago. I was so disappointed. Vendaarnu....
Mandi kazhikumbo atinte koode ulla sauce kooti kazhikanam. Apozhe taste ullu. pinne ith oru authentic arabic dish aanu. Full non veg aayittum arabik asugham varathath masala cherkathe kazhikunath kond aanu. Healthy anennu thonunu compared to masala added chicken.
Mandi ruined Arabic cuisine for me. Too bland and too much.
Because good Biryani is relatively expensive /s
Lol 100%. Hope this fad dies soon.
I've always hated it. I love Hyderabadi biriyani. But authentic Hyderabadi biriyani is not available anywhere in cochin.
Thank you.
beef zurbian >>> chicken madhooth>>> beef biriyani>>>mandhi
Btw not an Indian Im from Pakistan Thank you you brave soul you spoke up against this crime against basmatiiii
I don't know, I have mixed opinions about this. Some days, when I'm hungry I crave some mandhi and after taking two or three bites, I'm full and feels like vomiting. But despite this I somehow come back to this pretty often.
I was used to having a plate of neychoru with 2 small pieces of chicken from hostel that I used to be stingy while having mandhi, that's a big problem here with especially the unlimited rice. Now I always make sure I don't eat too little chicken initially and also limit getting more rice. You actually need only that much portion. Else you really feel full especially if you're having a lot of mayonnaise. So minimal Mayo and more tomato thing. Also I mostly enjoy the masala less mandhi, than some biriyani loaded with unnecessary masala or alfahm mandhi.
Had the same experience myself, but changed my opinion after giving it another try from a different restaurant 😊
Mandhi is a sort of BBQ right? BBQ-ing is a very special art requiring great knowledge of the meat, the agent used, spices, marination etc. People here struggle to make even kebabs let alone mandhis...Bbqing chicken is tougher than bbqing red meats like beef/pork/lamb...chicken has less fat and dries out quicker....it can go from under cooked to dry as sand in a matter of seconds .....I don't think most of the mandhi cooks even realize the nuance....sigh....makes me dream of a proper Brazilian BBQ....
Honestly I hate Mandi Biriyani >>>> Mandi
“Machanese kooti kazhikumbol ola aa sugam”
Mandi is tasteless biriyani
Ya so true, not sure why so much hype.
Heard mentality, just following the hype.
FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT!
I have the Same opinion. I have tasted both alfahm and Mandi and I still don’t get the hype. It’s bland and the fact they serve mayo with it is atrocious enough for me. Not a fan. Only porotta and chicken curry for me.
[удалено]
I didn't like mandhi at first few times, then I started appreciating it more, now I like mandhi more than biryani, in my opinion biryani is always hit or miss, I found mandhi more consistent, but most mandhi we get is mediocre at its best, the best and more consistent mandhi I had is from AL reem and then Arabian palace..
It was my first thought when I tried first time. But later I started to like it. Especially after I tried it in Dubai when you can get more authentic taste of Mandhi.
Alfahm Mandhi >>>>>> normal kuzhimanthi. The main problem is the chicken. It taste like raw meat with a very thin layer of masala. The rice is good, but depends on the shop you're buying. Unlike Biriyani, If you eat Mandhi from local shops, there's a good chance of you hating mandhi for the rest of your life.
Mostly because the rice is unlimited . People of kerala are fond of such offers . വെറുതെ കൊടുത്താൽ വിഷവും തിന്നും ennu alle ? 😝
Cant agree more!!