Bone-in chicken cooked in a thick, tomato-forward masala with ginger, garlic and whole spices in a heavy iron karahi — the preparation that gave the karahi wok its name in Punjabi cooking. Found at every highway dhaba on the GT Road and the Amritsar-Delhi corridor.
Ingredients
750 g chicken — bone-in pieces
4 tbsp oil
2 onions — finely sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp fresh ginger — julienned (for finishing)
4 large tomatoes — blended smooth
2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala, salt
1 green capsicum — finely sliced
2 green chilli — slit
coriander leaves and ginger julienne for garnish
Method
Heat oil in a heavy karahi or deep pan: Heat 4 tbsp oil on high.
Sear the chicken: Add chicken pieces. Sear on high heat without moving for 3 minutes. Turn and sear the other side. Remove and keep aside.
Cook onions in the same oil: Add sliced onions. Cook 10 minutes until golden.
Add ginger and garlic paste: Cook 2 minutes.
Add blended tomato: Add smooth tomato puree. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring every 2 minutes, for 10 minutes until the tomato is very thick and the oil separates around the edges. The tomato must cook completely — under-cooked tomato makes the karahi taste raw and sour.
Add spice powders: Turn low. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric. Stir 2 minutes.
Return the chicken: Add the seared chicken. Stir to coat completely with the thick tomato masala.
Cook covered: Cover and cook on medium heat 15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through.
Add capsicum and green chilli: Add sliced capsicum and slit green chilli. Cook uncovered 3 minutes.
Finish: Add garam masala. Scatter fresh julienned ginger, coriander leaves. Serve in the karahi for dramatic presentation.
Note: Punjabi Karahi gets its name from the heavy iron wok (karahi) in which it is traditionally cooked and served at the table. Highway dhabas on the Grand Trunk Road from Amritsar through Ludhiana and Ambala to Delhi have served karahi as their signature preparation for decades. The dhaba cooking style — high heat, generous oil, deeply cooked tomato base — is distinct from restaurant versions. Karahi is also one of the most ordered dishes at Punjabi dhabas by truck drivers and travellers.