1Prepare the mandi Masala by dry roasting the mentioned ingredients till it turns aromatic and let it cool down.
2Blend the dry roasted spices to a fine powder and keep it aside.
3Prepare saffron water by soaking a pinch of saffron strands in 3 tbsp of hot water to absorb colour.
4Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
5Prepare the marinade for the chicken by mixing kashmiri chilli powder, 2 tbsp of the mandi masala, ginger garlic paste, chaat masala, oil, lemon juice, salt and 3 tbsp of the saffron water.
6Mix till all ingredients combine into a thick paste.
7Score the chicken legs.
8Apply the marinade on the chicken legs and rub it in gently.
9Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
10Heat a kadai with oil for shallow frying.
11Deep fry the marinated chicken on a medium flame for 6 minutes on each side. Keep it aside.
12To make the mandi rice, Heat a deep pot, add oil and ghee.
13Add cinnamon, bay leaves and let it crackle.
14Add the sliced onions and green chillies. Saute till the onions turn golden brown.
15Add ginger garlic paste and mix for a few seconds.
16Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and the mandi masala and mix for a minute.
17Add 1.75L of water and mix well.
18Add salt and lemon juice. Bring the water to a boil.
19Add the soaked and strained rice and keep stirring gently to avoid letting it stick to the bottom.
20Cook it till the rice and water are level.
21Cover the pot and seal it tightly.
22Place the pot on a preheated tawa for 10 minutes on a low flame. (if the tawa isn
isn't preheated, keep the flame on high for 5 minutes and then on low for 5 minutes)
23After 10 minutes, turn off the flame and let it rest for 10 minutes.
24Open the pot, create small gaps using a thin stick. Place the chicken on top of the rice leaving some space in the middle.
25Place a bowl with a piece of hot charcoal in the middle. Pour some ghee over it and seal the pot immediately.
26Let it smoke for 5 minutes.
27Open the pot, take out the chicken separately, fluff up the rice.
28Serve the rice on a big plate, garnish it with fried nuts and raisins, fried onion and chopped coriander.