Chicken Karhai - Pakistani Cuisine

This recipe is originally my mums but I have made few changes here and there. This dish is one of the easiest yet flavoursome Pakistani dish of all times. You will find it in every restaurant made according to different areas. It basically is chicken that is stir fried with lots of  spices, tomatoes and ginger. The authenticity comes from the various spices that are used. You can have it with Naan, Paratha, rice, pilaff, toast. The name comes from the pan the chicken is made in, Karhai, aka A Wok.

Try and Enjoy and let me know how it came out.

Ingredients:

Chicken (800 gms - 1200 gms)

Garlic 2 tbsp

Cumin 1 tbsp

Ground Coriander  1 tbsp

Crushed red pepper 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Cayenne pepper 2 tsp

Garam masala 1 tsp

Salt 1 1/2 tsp levelled

8-10 roma tomatoes or equivalent

Ginger julienne 2 tbsp

Green chilli julienne 1 tbsp

Cilantro chopped 2 tbsp

Oil 4 tbsp

Method:

Heat the pan to medium high and add cumin to it. Roast the cumin for 30 seconds.

Add oil heat with cumin for another 30 seconds and then add garlic. Stir garlic once and add chicken. 

Fry the chicken pieces on all sides. Add salt. You want chicken to get golden brown from few places ( trust me it's delicious afterwards)

Add all the dry spices. Stir it twice with the chicken  and add yogurt ( Yogurt helps to stop the spices from burning and getting too bitter). Keep cooking until the water from the yogurt is close to disappearing. 

Add chopped tomatoes, cover with the lid and  simmer it on a medium heat for 10 minutes.

Then increase the heat to medium high to evaporate the tomato water. Once you start to see a gorgeous masala surrounding the chicken where oil is bubbling add the ginger and green chilli and keep cooking until there is a thin layer of oil on top of the masala (mixture of tomatoes and chicken)

Add cilantro to garnish.

My favourite way to eat it is with white rice, yoghurt and green chilli

 This post is especially for someone who encouraged me to write again.