The lunch crowd at Kubaba Kuzhimandhi, Edappally, one of Kochi’s new mandhi (shortened from kuzhimandhi) places, on a Monday is testimony that mandi is as much an emotion as biryani is. The rice and meat dish cooked in a pit, (kuzhi) with origins in Yemen, has found a home in Kerala along with other food from West Asia such as al faham, shawarma, madfoon, mugalagal and mazbi. Kubaba capitalises on Kochi’s love of mandhi.
Rather than cram the menu with a large selection of ‘Arabian’ food, Kubaba sticks to variations of mandi. The 160-seater restaurant, split into two floors, is almost 70 per cent full when we land up for lunch. A high ceiling, stained glass walls, Turkish lamps give the place a kitschy Arabian vibe. Hinting at the crowds that throng the outlet, a couple of rows of chairs, almost two dozen, have been set for those waiting for their table.
This is the second one, the first Kubaba restaurant opened in Alappuzha. Started by friends Sajeed Kasim, Shaheer Shamshudeen and Manaf Shareef, in November 2022, it is the result of more than three years of work that included sampling the food made in different regions to finding a chef with expertise in mandhi-making. With Fazil Ibrahim coming in with experience in the restaurant business they were set.
Inside Kubaba Kuzhimandhi in Kochi | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The aroma of grilled meat welcomes us as we take our seats on the mezzanine floor. Kuzhimandhi gets its name from how it is cooked — in an underground pit — where the meat is cooked/grilled on a wire mesh under which sits the rice.
The response, says Shahid Shamshudeen, marketing manager, has been encouraging and also proves how much Kochi loves its mandi. The restaurant has several variations of mandhi or rather the meat that accompanies it, the most popular of which is the beef version. The variety of mandhi one can choose from here is a reason for Kubaba’s popularity.
Coming back to the beef mandhi… it is easily one of the best mandhis in town with the beef cooked to succulent perfection. It has absorbed the spices and melts in the mouth. Unlike in a biryani where the meat is part of the rice, the usually grilled meat is placed on a flavoursome bed of rice. If you are carb watcher you can opt for the meat solo, but then that is not mandhi.
Apart from the beef (₹260) and mutton mandhi (₹450), we try the chicken options of Al Fazlouf (₹260), peri-peri (₹250), dynamite (₹260) and barbecue (₹250). Prices mentioned are for quarter portion, half portion would be ideal for two people. Al Fazlouf is a signature dish, mildly spiced with a creamy, cheesy coating, unlike the other meats.
What gives mandhi its character is, of course, the meat. For the health conscious this is an option since you can load on the protein without as much carbs. The meat is cooked using a variety of techniques and not greasy. The accompaniments are a tomato-based chutney that is usually served with mandhi, pulichutney made of tamarind and chilli and, wait for it...mayonnaise. “You will be surprised by the number of people who eat mandhi with mayonnaise!” says Shahid as I express surprise. There are mojitos and fruit juices to wash down the mandhis.
Peri-peri is, well, peri-peri. Another interesting flavour is the sweet and spicy dynamite, one of the new additions on the menu along with shawaya and barbecue (all chicken). If your tastebuds are inclined toward the conventional this is not for you. Go for it only if you are game to experiment.
The thing about mandhi rice is that, unlike biryani, it is very mildly spiced with hints of cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, saffron, dry lime and caraway seeds. There are no overpowering flavours and there is more meat. There is no explosion of flavours in a mandhi, it has a more meaty taste.
The portions come in three options - full, half and quarter. You can pick based on how much you can eat. The quarter portion would be enough for two moderate eaters. The prices depend on what you order, there are extra charges for the chest piece.
Mandhi lovers will love Kubaba mandhi, but if you are a biryani lover you will crave the drama.
Published - November 22, 2024 09:46 am IST
