Chicken Karahi
چکن کڑاہی
This is the karahi you get at roadside dhabas: no onions, no yogurt, no water. Just bone-in chicken, a lot of tomatoes and ghee, cooked fast over a hot flame until the masala clings to every piece. The whole dish takes about 45 minutes, and almost all of the flavour comes from one step: the .
- ⏱ Total: 45 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the ghee in a over high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken and fry, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until every side has turned white and a few spots are lightly golden.
Add the ginger and garlic paste and stir for 1–2 minutes, until the raw smell is gone.
Lay the tomato halves on top, cut side down. Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook for 8–10 minutes until the skins loosen. Pull the skins off with tongs and throw them away.
Uncover and turn the heat back up to high. Add the salt, chili flakes, chili powder, black pepper and cumin. Now do the : keep stirring and pressing the tomatoes into the chicken for 8–10 minutes, until the masala thickens and the ghee separates at the edges.
Add the green chilies and half the ginger strips. Lower the heat and cook for 2 more minutes, just until the chilies soften but stay bright green.
Turn off the heat. Scatter the rest of the ginger and the coriander on top, and serve straight from the karahi with hot naan or roti.
Kitchen notes
No water! The tomatoes and chicken give off plenty of liquid. Add water and you've made a , not a karahi.
If the masala starts sticking before the ghee separates, splash in a tablespoon of water, scrape the bottom and keep going. That loosens it; it isn't gravy.
Small bone-in pieces matter. The bones give the masala body, and small pieces cook through in the short time on high heat.
What makes it a karahi
Three things separate a karahi from an everyday chicken curry. It is cooked fast on high heat rather than simmered. Its only liquid comes from tomatoes and the chicken itself, so the masala ends up thick and glossy instead of soupy. And it is traditionally served in the same pan it was cooked in, still sizzling.
There are no onions here, which surprises a lot of people. Onions add sweetness and bulk to a ; a dhaba karahi stays sharp and tomato-forward, with heat from and freshness from the ginger and green chilies added at the end.
Choosing the chicken
Ask the butcher for a karahi cut: a whole chicken, skin removed, chopped into small bone-in pieces of about 2–3 cm. Small pieces cook through in the short cooking time, and the bones keep the meat juicy and give the masala body. Breast-only cuts dry out quickly with this method.
Substitutions
- Ghee: any neutral oil works. Ghee gives the classic nutty taste; a mix of half ghee, half oil is a good middle ground.
- Fresh tomatoes: in winter, when tomatoes are pale, add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with the spices for colour and depth.
- Mutton: the same method makes mutton karahi, but the meat needs to be cooked covered with a little water until tender before the tomatoes go in.
Storing and reheating
Karahi keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. Reheat it in a pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of water, stirring until the ghee loosens again. Add the fresh ginger and coriander after reheating, not before.
Questions people ask
Why is my karahi watery?
Either water went in, or the bhunai stopped too early. Keep cooking uncovered on high heat, stirring, until the ghee separates at the edges. The liquid will cook off.
Can I make it without a karahi?
Yes. Any wide, heavy pan or wok works. A karahi's sloping sides just make the constant stirring easier.
Can I use boneless chicken?
You can, but it cooks faster and dries out easily. Use boneless thigh, fry it for only 4–5 minutes in the first step, and stop the bhunai as soon as the ghee separates.
How do I make it less spicy?
Halve the chili flakes, skip the chili powder, and remove the seeds from the green chilies before slitting them.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 600
- Protein
- 44 g
- Fat
- 43 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
