Chicken Karahi

Okay guys this recipe is seriously awesome.  I know I haven’t posted an Indian recipe in a while (my apologies), but I think in the summer I’m just not craving steaming bowls of stewed meat and vegetables.

But one day Dave and I were both craving Indian and I decided to investigate a new recipe that is one of our favorites at restaurants- Chicken Karahi.

Chicken Karahi (also known as Kadai) is a Northern Indian/ Pakistani dish that is made in a wok.  It typically has a high amount of ginger and in the Indian recipes will use bell peppers as a unique flavor component.  It’s not the same as Chicken Jalfrezi, which is more of a fusion of Chinese-Indian and typically is a drier curry than Karahi.

This is an excellent curry that is definitely going to be one of my routine in the arsenal.  It’s full of flavor and goes perfect with basmati rice or naan bread.  I get my naan either at Trader Joes or the Indian market where they sell it frozen.  I reheat it in a skillet and usually top it with a little melted butter or ghee.   I have heard a lot of people comment about their difficulty with making good Indian food at home.  I think one of the biggest factors can be not knowing your spices and skipping one or more critical spice ingredients.  I definitely recommend going to an Indian market for your supplies, but if you don’t have access, Amazon is a great resource for ordering online.

The other factor in Indian cooking is spice quality and freshness.  I have found that what is sold at most American stores are much blander and don’t not have the correct flavor profile compared with what is available at good Indian markets.  I don’t specifically have a brand loyalty, but I do usually buy my spices in bags (I never use the pre-mixed masala boxes), and at least for red chili powder always go for a deep red Kashmiri powder.You can read more about what I keep in my spice cabinet over on this post about Toor Dal.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!  Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Chicken Karahi

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 black cardamom lightly crushed
• 5 green cardamom lightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 3 to matoes diced
• 1-2 serrano chile sliced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons ginger paste
• 1 lb chicken thighs chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala divided
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ red bell pepper sliced
• ½ yellow bell pepper sliced
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 3/4 cup of water divided
• ½ cup whole milk
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon julienned ginger for garnishing
• Additional sliced bell pepper for garnishing

Instructions

 

• In a wok (also known as karahi or similar frying pan), heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat.
• Add black and green cardamoms, and cumin seeds, and fry until the cumin begins to pop and the ingredients are fragrant.
• Next add the onion. Cook down until the onion is browned and very soft, about 10-13 minutes.
• Next add the tomatoes, serrano chiles (if using), and ginger and garlic paste.
• Add the chili powder, coriander powder, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, and turmeric. Stir for a minute or two, then add 1/4 cup of water. Stir until the water mostly evaporates and until the oil starts separating from the masala. The tomatoes should be fairly mushy at this point.
• Move the masala to the edges of the wok and add the chicken to the center.
• Stir fry until the chicken in the center of the pan for 3-4 minutes, flipping as needed.
• Next, stir everything back together. Add about 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of milk, the bell peppers, and cilantro.
• Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the curry is the consistency of a thick gravy.
• Lastly, stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala.
• Season generously with salt, to taste
• Garnish with additional sliced bell pepper, ginger, and cilantro.

Did you make this recipe? Head on over to Instagram and tag me @thegourmetgourmand or share on the hashtag #thegourmetgourmand. Happy cooking!