Flavors From Around The World: Yemeni Mandy & Madfoon 🍖

In my previous post I mentioned that I wanted to try Yemeni food at De Bazaar in Beverwijk on another occasion, as I got the food stand way too late in my view. That's why we decided take every chance we get, to guide those on vacation to this location.

The last couple of weeks we had the opportunity to visit De Bazaar on two occasions and I knew exactly which food stand I wanted to try out. It did take me a couple of minutes before deciding what to order, as I was researching the names of the dishes online. Fortunately - for me and the sales people - the sellers give potential customers a taste test of the different rice meals.

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This sales tactic convinced me and I ordered a chicken Mandy, instead of the lamb as it was my first try and I wasn't sure if I would like it. The chicken was tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. Both the rice dish as the chicken were full of flavor and this meal introduced me to other flavor combinations and profiles. The rice felt light in spite of it's heavy reputation. The seasonings and spices used helped with that.

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The Mandy was also served with a light salad and a sauce or dip (harra) on the side. The sauce had a strong earthy and leafy flavor, that kicked the flavors from the rice and chicken into high gear. Though I liked the sauce, I enjoyed the Mandy more without it.

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On the second occasion I wasn't sure whether to order a lamb Mandy or a plate of Madfoon. After much deliberation and getting a taste of the different rice types again, I decided to go with a lambs Madfoon. The rice was packed with flavor and yet light - just like the other time - and the lamb was juicy, tender and buttery soft. Only a small amount of fat was left behind on the meat, which was also seasoned full of flavor.

Yemeni food made a good impression on my taste buds and I'm curious to the other dishes from this culture. Have you ever tried Yemeni food before? Let me know in the comments below 🤓.