Make Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi is one of Pakistan's most famous dishes, originating in the Punjab region and spreading to Northern India, England, and America over time. Spicy, easy to prepare, and happily customizable, you can usually go from prepping vegetables to enjoying Chicken Karahi in 30 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Traditional Pakistani Chicken Karahi

  • 1 pound (2.2 kg) chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 3-4 large tomatoes, diced (You can substitute one 12-ounce can diced tomato)
  • 1 inch (2.5cm) freshly peeled ginger, minced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced.
  • 2-4 green chilis, seeded and chopped
  • 1 generous tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander or parsley

Recommended Spices

  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek

Northern Indian and Western Variations

  • Traditional recipe +
  • 1 Green bell pepper
  • 1 Medium yellow onion.

Steps

Making Traditional Chicken Karahi

  1. Peel and finely mince the garlic and ginger. Start with 2 cloves of garlic and about an inch of fresh ginger, but know that you can adjust these amounts to suit your personal tastes as well.
    • You can also use a mortar and pestle to make a garlic-ginger paste, grinding the two together until smooth. This is a slightly more traditional take on the dish.
  2. Rinse the chicken, pat it dry, and chop into bite-sized pieces. While this step is small, don't skip it. Meats can't brown until all the moisture is gone, so rinsing and patting dry will always lead to a tastier dish. Cut the breast into roughly 1-2" pieces and set aside. Try and keep them all the same general size.
  3. Cut and seed 2-4 green chilies, depending on your desired spiciness. The most common options for western cooks are Serranos and jalapenos. Slice them lengthwise, remove the seeds, and then chop into small pieces.
    • The seeds are the spiciest part of the peppers -- adding them will give the dish a serious kick.
    • Wash your hands with soap and water after handling green peppers, especially before touching your eyes.
  4. In a large, high-sided pan or wok, heat up the oil on medium-high heat. You want high sides to contain the liquids and ensure the chicken heats up evenly. If you have one, your best bet will be a "kadai," which is a Pakistani/Northern Indian wok perfect for chicken karahi.[1]
  5. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 10-30 seconds, until fragrant. When the wonderful aroma of the two ingredients fills your kitchen you're ready to move on. Make sure your other ingredients, as listed above, are ready so you don't burn your garlic-ginger combination.
  6. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until brown. All you're doing right now is browning the outside of the chicken, bringing out the bird's richest flavor. Note that this all happens very quickly -- you need to keep moving to keep the garlic and ginger from burning.[2]
  7. Lower the heat to medium-low and add all of the spices except fenugreek and garam masala. Many spices need a little heat to release their best flavor, which is called "toasting." This step is common in many Indian and Pakistani dishes, but be careful -- you only need 10-20 seconds before the spices start to burn.
    • If you're nervous about burning the spices, simply add them with the tomatoes in the next step.[1]
  8. Add the tomatoes, stir and cover the pot for 15-20 minutes. You want the chicken to be about halfway covered up with the liquid so that the simmering sauce cooks the chicken completely through. If you need a little more liquid in the sauce, add a pinch of water or cream. If using garam masala and fenugreek, add them now.[3]
    • A simmer means there are some bubbles lightly breaking the surface, but the whole pot isn't bubbling like it is boiling.
    • Stir the pot 2-3 times as it cooks, but otherwise leave it covered to finish cooking and preserve moisture.
  9. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, until sauce reaches desired thickness. If you added extra cream or water this could take 10 minutes, but the total thickening time is up to you. If you like a thicker curry, leave it on for longer. If you want something a little more soup-like, take it off after 4-5 minutes.
  10. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander or parsley and serve. The dish is frequently served with a grain of some sort, but it can be eaten straight as well. For the best dish, try your chicken Karahi with:

Making Karahi Variations

  1. Add a diced onion before the garlic and ginger, cooking for 2-3 minutes, for a Northern Indian version. The onion brings a savory sweetness to the dish. Simply cook the onion in the hot oil until it is translucent. This means it is more or less see-through.
  2. Chop a green bell pepper into 1/2" cubes and add with the tomatoes. This is a continuation of the Northern Indian variation of the dish. Add the green pepper with the tomatoes so they cook in the liquid but still have some crunch.[3]
  3. Puree the tomatoes in a blender if you don't want any chunks. This step isn't necessary, but some people prefer a completely smooth sauce for their chicken karahi. If so, get blending, but know that the step isn't entirely necessary.
    • For a perfectly smooth sauce, which some restaurants insist on, you can remove the chicken right as the sauce finishes up. Put all of the liquid in a blender and blend until you have a perfectly smooth sauce, then add the chicken back in and serve.
  4. Add 1/2 cup cream or cashew milk for a richer, slightly less spicy sauce. This leads to a creamier, slightly less intense dish. Some recipes require a form of cream, but this is likely a later ingredient brought in by Indian and Western cooks, as it resembles tikka masala. Add the cream with the tomatoes, stirring the liquids together until smooth and blended, then cook like normal.
    • For a slightly tangy taste, you could also use a 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.[4]
  5. Substitute lamb or beef for chicken to get an entirely new dish without a new recipe. As long as you cut it into bite-sized, quick-cooking pieces you'll be perfect. Cook it just like you would normally cook the chicken.
  6. Finished.



Tips

  • Keep checking the chicken with a fork if it is cooked or not -- it should be easily pierced.

Warnings

  • This dish should be served hot -- both in temperature and spiciness.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://indianhealthyrecipes.com/kadai-chicken/
  2. ↑ http://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/chicken-karahi-pakistani-chicken-curry/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-karahi-recipe1.html
  4. ↑ http://www.neelscorner.com/special-chicken-karahi-recipe-by-shireen-anwar/
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