Chicken karahi

Chicken karahi is a Pakistani dish of bone-in chicken pieces cooked in a deep iron pan called a karahi, in a thick sauce of tomato, ginger, garlic and spices. It takes its name from the pan it is cooked in.

What it really is

Chicken karahi is cooked by frying chopped onion, ginger and garlic in cooking oil or ghee, then adding bone-in chicken and browning it. Tomatoes, green chillies, salt and ground spices such as coriander, cumin and red chilli are added, and the mixture is covered and cooked down until the tomato breaks into a thick, oily masala. Fresh ginger and whole cumin or black pepper are commonly finished on top with chopped fresh coriander and sliced green chilli.

The dish is cooked over high heat with very little added liquid, so the chicken braises in its own juices and the tomato, and the sauce reduces to a thick coating. It is distinct from chicken curry dishes that are made with a longer simmered gravy, and from kadai dishes of other cuisines that are sometimes made with a different spice blend. Recipes vary widely between households and restaurants in Pakistan and North India.

How it's served

• Served hot in the karahi pan or in a serving dish, usually as a shared dish for several people.
• Eaten with naan, roti or chapati to scoop up the sauce.
• Often served with sliced fresh ginger, green chillies and coriander on top, and with lemon wedges.
• Commonly accompanied by raita or a cucumber and onion salad.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredients: bone-in chicken, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilli and fresh coriander.
• Note that the dish is traditionally cooked with ghee or oil and is not suitable for a vegetarian diet.
• State the heat level, as recipes range from mild to very hot.
• Indicate whether it is served on the bone and whether it is served with naan or roti.