Karahi Chicken

Servings : Serves 4-5

A lovely simple spicy chicken dish, that is mainly flavoured by fresh chopped tomatoes and ginger. I love adding capsicum/pepper in this dish too, it adds to the wonderful aroma and gives a fantastic yummy finish.

Ingredients for Chicken Marinade

  • 1 chicken, cut into small pieces (12 or more) - marinate chicken for at least an hour, up to overnight in the ingredients below
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1 tsp. garlic
  • 2 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp. plain yoghurt
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice

Additional Ingredients

  • 1 tsp. coriander seeds, roasted then grinded into a powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 3 whole pepper
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 pieces cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 cup oil + 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 onions, chopped finely
  • 6-8 medium tomatoes, chopped finely
  • 1 chopped capsicum/pepper (optional)
  • 1 tsp. fenugreek/methi leaves
  • 2-3 green chillies, slit
  • 1 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garam masala
  • salt to taste
  • julienned ginger for garnishing
  • coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

Heat the oil n butter, add the whole spices (cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves). Once they start to sputter, add the fenugreek/methi leaves, followed by the chopped onions. Fry the onions on medium heat until golden, then add the ginger and garlic, followed by the chopped tomatoes and 1 green chilli. Cook until the tomatoes reduce in amount and thicken up, releasing the oil.

Turn up the heat to high, now add the marinated chicken pieces. Stir fry them in this mixture on high heat for 5 minutes until the chicken turns color, then reduce the heat to low, add the cumin powder, chili powder and coriander powder plus half a cup of warm water. Cover the pot and let the chicken simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Check on it, stir and add some salt, then cover again and let it cook for another 8-10 minutes. Now check on the chicken, add the chopped capsicum/pepper, adjust salt and add the second green chilli plus a bit of the coriander leaves (if you’re not using capsicum, just add the salt and green chilli n coriander leaves at this point).

Cover and simmer again for another 5-8 minutes or until the capsicum has started to soften. Check if the chicken is done, squeeze the juice of half a lemon, sprinkle the garam masala and some chopped coriander. Turn off the heat once the chicken is done.

Leave it to rest for about 20 minutes covered before serving so that the flavours get properly infused into the chicken. Garnish with ginger and more coriander, and serve with either rice or naan…or whatever else you prefer.

Enjoy!

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