- The Life of Loi is made possible by the Behrakis Family.

♪ ♪ Experience Abu Dhabi.

♪ ♪ The Greek National Tourism Organization.

And SALFO Engineering & Management.

♪ ♪ LOI: I am Maria Loi, executive chef of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan.

When I was growing up in Thermo, a small village in Greece, food was a way of life.

The Mediterranean diet is considered the healthiest in the world.

And I have seen how it can truly change people's lives, like it changed mine.

And since then, my life has been all about the Mediterranean diet.

♪ ♪ Each season, I take the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet and travel the world, learning about different cultures, gathering inspiration, exchanging ideas... - Oh!

LOI: And then, going back home to share with you.

♪ ♪ On this week's episode, we are jumping into the world of mandi.

- If you love rice, today you will love the rice more.

LOI: A beloved Emirati dish that combines rice, meat, and a blend of aromatic spices.

- So now we'll go in the oven.

LOI: Excellent, come on.

(voiceover): Cooked in a special pit.

We visit executive chef Tawfik Gaber in his private kitchen, where we learn the traditional way of preparing lamb mandi.

And his original take on machboos.

We will also experience the unique Emirati dining style, seated on the floor.

- Surprise.

LOI: Oh, wow!

This is amazing.

(voiceover): Then, we travel back to Greece, where my good friend, Andriana Vamvakas, joined me as we serve up hearty dishes.

- I cannot wait.

This looks beautiful, Chef.

LOI: Inspired by my travels.

It's all happening now, on The Life of Loi.

Páme.

♪ ♪ The dish this amazing chef is going to show us today is a culinary cornerstone in the Arabic world.

He is a multi-awarded chef who has opened many amazing Emirati restaurants and has even managed royal palaces.

Can you imagine?

Chef Tawfik Gaber.

Yassou.

- Thank you, chef.

Today we are going to show you the very authentic amazing dish is called Al Mandi, Mandi Laham.

For Mandi Laham, we are going to use some aromatic herbs, some special spices... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- And we will use some healthy ingredients to add in some olive oil, some garlic paste, some ginger paste... LOI: He's speaking my language!

- Yes.

LOI: Do you hear?

Olive oil.

(flames crackling) - And by the way, we are cooking this one in tanur oven.

So we will cook it by pressure, and by pressure, we are going to save all the juices of the meat and we are going to serve a very tender meat.

LOI: The way that he is going to make it, it's completely different from what I make it.

- So, we can go and start.

I want to take this part here... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- This is fresh lamb, cut in by part, some from back or some from neck and some from shoulder or some from thigh.

LOI: I like the shoulder.

- Oh yeah, shoulder is here.

(both laugh) Okay.

Now I will start with some marinated-- and I know you love the olive oil, that's why I bring it to you, the very virgin olive oil.

I am going to just start with a little bit of massage of olive oil.

LOI: More, more, more.

- Yes.

Okay.

LOI: Good.

- So... LOI: So this is?

- This is saffron.

LOI: Krokos in Greek.

- Yes.

LOI: And krokos was since thousands of years, you know, in Greece.

- Okay.

So I'm going to use some of krokos, yes?

LOI: I love him already.

- And... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- I will add some of herbs... LOI: Rosemary.

- Yes, rosemary herbs.

Sometimes it's fresh.

LOI: Where did you get this?

- This one is coming from Greek.

Here I will use some of ginger and garlic paste.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- We'll just put a little bit.

And then I will put some of our turmeric, some cumin, some salt.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- It's mixing together.

And then I will start to marinate and massage, yes.

LOI: Smells very good.

- Here I have banana leaves and palm leaves.

I will put this big part.

So it will be the authentic way of the cook.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- And I will put all the part.

Now we are ready to start the oven, yeah.

LOI: Oven.

(clapping) Let's do it!

- Yes.

- And now we will start to make the authentic mandi rice.

Do you love rice?

LOI: I love rice.

- Today you love the rice more!

(both laugh) So... LOI: He's amazing.

- Yes, so, I will start with some... cooking ingredient here.

I have to put your olive oil.

Wow, it's more.

Yeah.

And I will put some garlic ginger paste.

(sizzling) LOI: Amazing perfume of garlic.

- Yeah.

(sizzling) And here I will add onion.

(sizzling) LOI: What are we going to do next?

- So now, we bring it our... onion and garlic.

LOI: Okay.

In this here?

- Yes.

We'll just put it here.

Now I will add for you some carrot.

LOI: Then?

- Do you like coriander?

Fresh?

LOI: Not that much, you know?

- Okay.

LOI: A bit.

- A little bit.

LOI: Yeah.

- What about mint?

LOI: Mint?

Of course.

- Some mint leaves.

LOI: It's Greek.

- Yes.

LOI: Calls ménta.

- Some mint leaves.

LOI: Ménta.

- Yes.

And... LOI: Say ménta.

- Ménta?

LOI: Bravo.

- Okay.

- I have you some spices, like... LOI: I love the lemon.

- ...dry lemon.

LOI: Excuse me, may I?

(inhales) The best.

- This is the authentic and pure, yeah.

Can you add the rice here please?

LOI: All of it?

- All.

Now we'll add in the water.

It's so nice.

LOI: Mya.

- Yes.

LOI: Krokos, right?

- Krokos, yes.

Okay... LOI: Good?

- Very good.

This, it will be very delicious you eat in your life.

(Loi laughs) I'm sure.

LOI: You know something?

I believe him.

- Yeah, you will see.

- Okay, so now we go in the oven.

LOI: Excellent.

Oh, in the same oven?

- Yeah.

LOI: Okay.

♪ ♪ - Yeah, huh.

♪ ♪ Our oven can go with the slow cook, so it will be for three hours.

And after three hours, we can see how it will be.

LOI: I am speechless.

And look, all of this you have done here.

- Yes.

LOI: And I love chickpeas.

- Chickpeas, we sauté with turmeric... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- Some onion and garlic.

And we have cashew nut roasted in oven.

I have caramelized onion in the oven.

LOI: Not fried, huh?

- Not fried.

Before I follow you, I fried.

But after I follow you, I have not fried anymore.

So now we'll go for our food.

LOI: Okay.

- I will just use these gloves to take out...

I will bring the rice here.

Yes.

So, this is the real serving plate.

LOI: Okay.

- All stuff fit in.

LOI: Wow.

It has to be with air, right?

- Yeah.

LOI: Not to be sticky.

- This is your very special part.

(Loi chuckling) LOI: This one?

- Yes.

LOI: It's for me.

6♪ ♪ - Now we'll start... (Loi humming) ...some caramelized onion.

LOI: Yes.

- Some raisins.

Dried in... LOI: That gives sweetness.

- Yes.

So, the sweetness here.

LOI: Yeah.

- Cashew.

LOI: That's why you cook at the palaces.

- Chickpeas.

LOI: Of course.

- Yes.

- I have to add it here, some fresh mint.

LOI: Let's show it to the world!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I didn't know that they can make antikristó in Abu Dhabi.

It was almost the same recipe that they're making in Crete.

But I am going to make something different here.

We're going to make goat, not lamb.

With whom?

With Andriana Vamvakas.

We grew up in a land that there were only goats around us.

(laughing): Near Thermo.

Yassou, Andriana.

- Yassou, Maria.

How are you?

LOI: Amazing.

- Thank you for having me.

This is amazing, being in Greece with you.

This is paradise.

Thank you for inviting me.

LOI: We have the goat here.

We marinated it, actually, with a Greek olive oil, of course.

And we're going to put it in this vessel here.

Yes, tell me.

You can ask me whatever you want.

- What I love about goat... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- It has less fat than lamb.

It's a little tastier, and less saturated fat, and it's high in iron.

And... tasty.

I, I prefer goat over lamb.

The smell is so beautiful.

And this is the healthier choice, I believe, than lamb.

LOI: It is.

- And the bones of the meat also contribute to the flavor.

LOI: Some onion, okay?

That's all.

- I love onion.

Very sweet.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- You cut it-- you have your way of cutting it, always your, your trademark.

(Loi laughs) And it's also very healthy.

LOI: Yes.

- It's good for your heart.

And it's very good for colds and for flu symptoms.

I use onion for everything.

LOI: That's good.

- Yes.

LOI: What about garlic?

Do you use garlic as well?

- I love garlic.

LOI: Good.

- I use garlic for everything as well.

LOI: This here, the goat, we don't want to overpower with... the onion.

So we won't put a lot.

- It has strong flavors as it is.

LOI: It does.

- We like many things that are similar.

Similar food, similar music.

(both singing Greek song) (Loi laughing) - Maria, I-- I don't know where you... this comes so natural to you.

LOI (laughing): With you, always.

- I know, I love it.

LOI: Thank you.

That's good.

So, let me have some oregano.

- Sure.

LOI: Because it reminds me of our mountain.

- Yes.

LOI: But this oregano is from Mount Taygetus, it is not from our mountain.

- Oh.

LOI: Okay.

This is the way to add oregano.

Because it shows you how much it is.

- And oregano is so good for so many things.

When you have a cold, you boil a little oregano... LOI: Yeah?

- ...and you drink it, it's like a medicine.

And these are our basic ingredients, right?

LOI: Yeah.

- The olive oil, the oregano.

We have some lemon here...

I mean, this is... LOI: It's not lemon.

I was influenced by Chef Tawfik.

So I put lime.

- Beautiful.

Always in things.

LOI: I hope you like lime.

- Sure.

LOI: Wow.

It's so aromatic.

- Mm-hmm.

LOI: Then salt and pepper.

- Yep.

Here you go.

LOI: Salt.

- Yes.

LOI: And pepper.

- You always use the best ingredients.

And you can tell the salt is sea salt and the pepper is crushed.

Everything is always perfect in your kitchen.

LOI: Do you know where the salt comes from?

- Messolonghi, from the Salt Lakes.

I love Messolonghi.

It's very close to where we're from, in Nafpaktos.

LOI: It's one of her favorite places in the world, right?

- Yes, of course.

LOI: We're going to put olive oil as well?

Well, of course.

You can put extra olive oil-- extra virgin olive oil, and extra, extra... (Loi laughs) I mean, olive oil and Maria Loi is synonymous.

LOI: And we will add some water.

Not a lot of water.

Here.

- Yep.

Cook it.

- Mm-hmm.

LOI: 175 degrees.

Pre-heated oven.

- Yes.

LOI: For almost one hour.

And then we'll add the orzo.

You know what I've done with the orzo?

- You've cooked it.

LOI: I pre-cooked.

- Mm-hmm.

LOI: And then, I add a bit of tomato paste.

- The kritharaki is also very healthy, with whole grain.

And I love that you boil it beforehand, because this saves a lot of time.

And your food here is just perfect for working people and working mothers and fathers, because it's easy, quick, and you can make a meal when you go home at night.

And I learned that from you.

LOI: As I say, 175 degrees, pre-heated oven, for almost an hour.

In 45 minutes, add this kritharaki, the orzo... - Yes.

LOI: ...which is pre-cooked.

- Mm-hmm.

LOI: And then... we'll go and get it.

- This here is amazing.

LOI: You see the color of the kritharaki, of the orzo?

It's because that we put the tomato paste.

That teaspoon of the tomato paste gave all the goodness.

And it's not too red.

- It's gold.

Beautiful color.

LOI: All right.

Would you like some... orzo here?

- I didn't know when you would ask, of course.

(both laugh) LOI: What do you say?

Metron ariston, huh?

- Metron ariston, everything in moderation.

LOI: Good, Andriana.

Smells good.

- It's delicious.

And you can feed your whole family with this meal.

- Have a little side salad.

And that's it, you're done.

(clinking forks) - That's so cool.

LOI: It is.

(both laugh) - A nice, soft, sweet... That's how I cut it.

Let's see how it tastes now.

May I?

- So tasty.

Delicious.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- Can I have a little of the orzo?

Delicious.

So tender.

And so much depth in this meal.

There's a lot, a lot of flavor.

LOI: Don't look here.

Make it.

(laughs) We're going to enjoy eating.

♪ ♪ Wow!

So much food.

Where's the chicken?

It's there.

LOI: Here?

- Yeah.

Surprise.

LOI: Oh, wow!

How did you make it?

♪ ♪ - I will start to marinate the chicken, stuffing the chicken with some chickpeas, marinated with some cumin, some salt, some turmeric, and sauteed with onion.

I will get the chicken with some tomato paste and some chili paste.

I will not forget to put the olive oil, the one best ingredient for Chef Loi.

To get the very top flavor here, I am going to use some herbs.

So here is some rosemary.

And thyme.

So now I will start to bring some chickpeas.

I will roll it the chicken.

Now we are going to take our chicken and then we'll put in the oven.

170 degrees in 35 minutes.

And on top of the rice, some roasted cashew.

You can add some mint for presentation.

Now our chicken stuffed in machboos rice is ready to serve to Chef Loi in Al Mandi Al Mahdbi House restaurant.

LOI: Can you tell me, is this an Emirati dish or not?

- Yes.

Machboos is the Emirati dish.

LOI: Do you mind if I eat a bit?

- You will eat.

LOI: And I'm not going to take a plate, I'm going to... - Yeah, of course.

LOI: The Emirati way, right?

- This is the Emirati way to eat.

LOI: Okay.

- We can try.

LOI: May I?

- Yes.

LOI: Oh... like this?

- Yeah.

LOI: Like that?

You can take... - I will try the mandi here.

LOI: All right.

- Same.

LOI: Okay, all right.

- Mm.

LOI: Mm.

- This is the best.

LOI: Did you put the olive oil?

- We put the olive oil.

I take it... olive oil secret from your side.

LOI (laughing): Are you kidding me?

That's nice.

- Mm-hmm.

LOI: Can I take also some cashews?

I love cashews.

- This is very good.

Roasted in oven.

LOI: Mm.

LOI: And this?

- This is your special healthy harees.

I do it for you.

This is the normal harees.

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- This is the harees with saffron.

Harees with pistachio and pesto.

And this is beet root harees.

I do this all ingredient special for you.

I know you love the healthy food.

I know you love olive oil.

So I include it.

You're all the love ingredients here.

LOI: I cannot thank you enough.

Promise that you come either to New York or to Greece or anywhere you want.

- I will go Greece.

(Loi laughs) Thank you, thank you.

I like that, because... - Thank you, chef.

LOI: I'm Greek.

- Thank you, chef.

LOI: But under one condition.

- Yeah.

LOI: We have to cook all of this in my house in Greece.

- We will do it.

LOI: You will?

- Yes, for sure.

LOI: Okay.

- Yeah.

LOI: And thank you.

- Thank you, chef.

LOI: And let's continue eating.

♪ ♪ LOI: You are jealous.

Come to Athens, under the Acropolis.

That's what Andriana, my friend, said.

"Please, to take me to film under the Acropolis."

So, we came here.

Look at that.

So beautiful.

Where can you find this place?

Andriana.

(laughs) - Thank you, Maria.

This is remarkable, to be under the Acropolis in Athens.

I-- I'm just overwhelmed by the beauty.

LOI: You owe me now, okay?

- And the beautiful day...

It's just magical to be here with you today.

LOI: Let me tell you, something easy we'll make.

My friend, the butcher, Paris, he makes anything I want.

So I said, "Can you please do the chicken, like my friend, Chef Tawfik, did in Abu Dhabi?"

He did it exactly the same.

He cut the chicken, and then he has put cheese in there and spinach.

He is incredible.

So, the only thing that I have to put in, some more tomato paste.

- And it's going to have that beautiful gold color again.

LOI: Yes, yes, yes.

It's... Look at this.

Just like that.

- Wow.

LOI: I love tomato paste, as you know.

Chicken is amazing protein.

But first of all, our beans and revithia, chickpeas.

That's why I'm going to add in here.

- The chickpeas I prefer, and I always find them very tasteful... LOI: Mm-hmm.

- And very good protein source.

I guess in the Arab countries they use a lot of chickpeas.

LOI: Everywhere.

We found everywhere, when we were in Abu Dhabi, chickpeas here, chickpeas there, chickpeas everywhere.

- And the Greeks have a lot of chickpeas.

LOI: Yeah, because it's not expensive.

- No.

LOI: Here?

More olive oil of course.

- Well, olive oil and Maria Loi, one and one.

LOI: And I'm sure Paris, you know, put salt, so I'm not going to add here.

- Yes.

LOI: Okay, we'll add just a glass of water... and we'll take it to the oven.

- How much water should be there after it's cooked?

LOI: You can check it.

If it has no water in there, add some more.

And preheated oven, 175 degrees, about an hour and a half.

- And that's 350 in New York, correct?

LOI: 350 in New York.

♪ ♪ - Looks beautiful, amazing, beautiful colors.

LOI: I would have put it in this beautiful plate, You know, that Chef Iordanis brought me, and I thank him very much.

Thank you, Chef Iordanis.

- I could tell everyone loves you.

LOI: And, and he made something else, too.

he made basmati rice to serve with this.

- And it's white basmati rice.

White basmati rice, as you know, is easy to digest.

The brown has a little more fiber.

LOI: Okay.

- So it depends on your choice and your preference of which one you like, but it's equally delicious.

LOI: So, let's... let's add some rice here.

Just like the village.

- Oh yes.

We always had such healthy eating.

What I love about your kitchen, everything that you make, I usually have in my refrigerator or my pantry.

So... LOI: Yeah.

- It's simple, and I can make it in a whiff.

And always...

I always look in the refrigerator and the pantry to see what I have and I create something.

And this is what you do, you're a creator.

LOI (laughing): Food creator.

- Food creator.

LOI: It's so beautiful.

So, one side.

Is the basmati?

LOI: Yeah.

The chicken?

LOI: Mm-hmm.

- And then the chickpeas on the other side.

And it smells beautiful.

LOI: Yeah.

Ah.

Oh, that's gorgeous.

Who would have ever imagined, having a meal under the Acropolis?

LOI: And it's ready.

No, it's not.

- Of course, you have to put your last sprinkle of olive oil, obviously.

LOI: Yep.

- (laughs) I do that all the time now.

Beautiful.

LOI: Okay Andriana, let's cut it.

The masterpiece.

- The masterpiece.

LOI: It's so good.

- Oh, that's beautiful.

It's so tender.

What a beautiful presentation.

You could serve this for your family, for guests, and very moist and tender.

The flavor just comes to you.

It's gorgeous.

LOI: Andriana.

(clinking forks) LOI: Páme.

- Páme.

- I cannot wait.

This looks beautiful, chef.

LOI: It's so good.

Mmm!

Delicious.

Just appropriate for Athens.

Delicious.

LOI: This is so delicious, and the cheese, it doesn't overpower.

So good.

Don't look at us.

Just get the ingredients and do it.

- This is very good.

Congratulations, beautiful meal.

Such an honor being here with you today, friend.

LOI: Yassou.

- Yassou.

And yassou.

Remember, metron ariston.

Everything in moderation except love, olive oil, and good deeds.

Yassou.

- The Life of Loi is made possible by the Behrakis Family.

♪ ♪ Experience Abu Dhabi.

♪ ♪ The Greek National Tourism Organization.

And SALFO Engineering & Management.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪