Karahi Chicken - Chicken Curry in Red Gravy with Green Bell Peppers

Except the few basic spices, Indian food doesn't require you to break a bank. No fancy tools or instruments required. But one utensil that you must have come across quite often on the blog is a karahi (also called kadai, kadhai. I'll stick with kadai).

Kadai refers to Indian wok which is slightly deeper (compared to Chinese wok) and narrower in diameter with a round bottom and curved handles. I personally use kadai a lot in my day to day cooking. Traditionally, cast iron kadai is the best but I have not been able to find a good one here so far.

Compared to a deep bottom pot,or flat surfaced woks, the masala (onions, spices and tomatoes) cooks faster and more evenly in kadai. It also makes mixing things easier with a ladle or large spoon without much of "food chasing". Its great for deep frying as well. Not only it reduces the amount of oil used but for smaller quantities it works better as compared to a deep fryer.

Many a times, a dish which is specifically cooked in kadai, takes the name from it, like kadai chicken.Since in kadai chicken no water or stock is used to cook the chicken and rather the chicken cooks in the masala and its own stock, kadai makes sure the chicken doesn't burn and simmers away slowly braising the meat. Having said that, you may as well cook it in a deep bottom pot with a little stock to help you through.

Here's how you make it. 

Karahi Chicken - Chicken curry in red gravy with green bell peppers

Click here for printable version 

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

1 red onion (sliced) + 1 red onion (cut into large cubes)

2 tomatoes (cut into cubes)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2  tbsp ginger paste

1/2 tbsp garlic paste

1 green bell pepper (cut into medium size strips)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp red chilly powder

2 tsp coriander powder*

Ginger to garnish (cut into julienne) 

Coriander leaves to garnish (finely chopped)

For marinate 

1 kg chicken drumsticks **

1/2 tbsp ginger paste

1/2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

Note

* I prefer to lightly toast coriander seeds and make fresh coriander powder for this. You can do as you like.

** You can use a whole chicken cut into medium pieces or thighs instead. But hey! I won't suggest all chicken breast, you certainly need some brown meat here. Who said so? I

Method

Wash and pat dry the chicken. Mix all the ingredients for marinate and keep aside. Heat oil in the wok. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Once it starts to splutter add the sliced onion.

Cook the onion till it is pinkish. Add the ginger and garlic paste and then tip in the turmeric, red chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala.

Next goes the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook this till the tomatoes have totally dissolved to form masala.

Add in the chicken and mix well (at this point, I also realize my wok is small for the quantity I'm making and struggle with two spoons to mix the chicken well. I suck). Cover with lid and let the chicken cook for 20 minutes.

Just before the chicken is completely done, add in the large cubed onion and bell pepper. Mix well (still struggling with two spoons. I suck). Cook for another 10 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with coriander leaves and ginger.

Serve with butter naan or plain naan. In fact any kind of  flat bread works. Make it!