Yemeni lamb mandi is rice cooked with whole spices under a sealed pot of slow-roasted lamb, served on a communal platter with tomato salsa and warm flatbread.

Hamtramck's Yemeni population grew through the 2000s as Polish flight made room for new immigrants. Yemen Cafe on Joseph Campau opened the canonical lamb mandi counter in metro Detroit, halal and open 17 hours a day. Mandi is the dish of the Hadhramaut region, traditionally cooked in a tandoor pit; the Detroit version uses sealed pots in commercial ovens. Saltah (cast-iron stew) is the second dish in the standard order.

Where to eat Yemeni lamb mandi in Detroit

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Make it at home

Serves 44 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 4 pieces
  • 400g basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 liter chicken stock
  • Salt
  • Saffron threads, soaked in warm water
  • Tomato salsa to serve
  • Warm flatbread to serve

Method

  1. Rub lamb with salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, cardamom and turmeric. Marinate 1 hour.
  2. Heat oven to 325F. In a heavy pot, brown the lamb pieces on all sides, 8 minutes total. Set aside.
  3. Saute onions and garlic in the same pot until soft. Return lamb. Add whole spices, bay leaves and 250ml stock.
  4. Cover tightly and roast in the oven 2.5 hours until the lamb is falling-tender.
  5. Drain the rice. In a separate pot, layer rice over the lamb at the end; add remaining stock plus saffron water. Cover and steam 25 minutes.
  6. Pile rice on a large communal platter; arrange lamb pieces on top.
  7. Serve with tomato salsa on the side and warm flatbread for tearing.

Editor tip. Use saffron, not turmeric, for the gold color; the floral note matters. Eat communally with hands and bread; the lamb should pull apart.