A Pakistani Recipe- Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi is a Pakistani dish that originated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This mouthwatering recipe incorporates a blend of juicy tomatoes, sharp ginger, and garlic flavors that come together to present a thick curry.

The curry is traditionally served in a wok that is cooked over an open fire, but it can also be cooked in a pan. The steaming hot wok that the curry is served in is typically the star of the show, considering it is important to use for simmering the meat in high heat.

This dish is served in Pakistani restaurants with a side of crispy naan, but it can be eaten with rice as well. Some people add onions, coriander, and green peppers in the curry to enhance the flavor.

This meal has a special place in my heart because it is one the dishes everyone in my family bonds over. Whenever my mom makes Chicken Karahi, I can smell its aroma all the way from my room, which prompts me to excitedly run down to the dinner table.

Let’s get into making this delicious meal!

Recipe

Grab some chicken and marinate it for 20 minutes with 1 cup of any yogurt, 1 tbsp of chili powder, lemon juice, 1 tsp of garam masala, and 1 tsp of salt and pepper.
Place a pan over high heat. Add 3 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and some oil to the pan.
Chop up 2 big tomatoes, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 ginger, 3 green chilis, coriander, mint, and green peppers. Once the oil is hot, add in all the vegetables and sauté them for around 5-6 minutes. After adding some tomato paste to the mixture, lower the heat to medium heat.
Mix in 1 tbsp of salt and pepper, 1 ½ tbsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of garam masala, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp of cumin powder, 1 tbsp of garlic powder, 1 tbsp of onion powder, 1 tbsp of basil powder and a sprinkle of chili flakes if you want to add in a kick of spice.
Once the mixture looks completely sauteed, incorporate the marinated meat into the sauce and let the meat simmer with the lid on for 25 minutes. Then, turn the heat back up to high for 10 minutes to reduce the excess sauce.
In a separate bowl, mix ½ cup of yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tsp of garam masala, and mint chutney (optional). Add the whisked yogurt mixture to the sauce and cook on medium again for 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!