Pakistani Chicken Karahi

Name: Pakistani Chicken Karahi
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless chicken thighs, in 2-inch pieces; 1¼ lb Roma tomatoes (about 7), diced; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 8 garlic cloves, crushed; 2-inch piece ginger, half crushed, half in thin matchsticks; 3 green chilies (serrano or jalapeño), 1 whole, 2 slit; ¼ cup plain yogurt, whisked; 2 tbsp ghee or butter; chopped cilantro; 4 naan; 3 tbsp oil; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp chili powder; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; freshly ground; ½ tsp garam masala

DinnerPakistani50 minServes 4735 kcal57 g protein

The roadside-dhaba classic: chicken seared hard with garlic and ginger, then cooked down with a mountain of fresh tomatoes until glossy, finished with yogurt, black pepper and julienned ginger. No cream, no onion paste, all flavor.

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Ingredients

2 lb boneless chicken thighs, in 2-inch pieces
1¼ lb Roma tomatoes (about 7), diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2-inch piece ginger, half crushed, half in thin matchsticks
3 green chilies (serrano or jalapeño), 1 whole, 2 slit
¼ cup plain yogurt, whisked
2 tbsp ghee or butter
chopped cilantro
4 naan

From your pantry: 3 tbsp oil, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, ½ tsp garam masala.

Instructions

Heat the ghee and oil in a wok, karahi or wide heavy pan over high heat. Cook the onion until light golden, 5 minutes, then add the garlic, crushed ginger and the whole chili and stir 1 minute.
Add the chicken and ½ tsp salt and cook, turning, until it loses its raw color and stops releasing water, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin, chili powder and remaining salt. Stir, cover, lower the heat to medium and cook 15 minutes, stirring once, until the tomatoes collapse.
Uncover, turn the heat back to high and keep stirring and scraping until the tomatoes melt into a thick sauce and the oil separates and glistens on top, 8 to 10 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through (165°F).
Lower the heat, stir in the yogurt and cook gently 2 minutes. Add the black pepper and garam masala, top with the slit chilies, ginger matchsticks and cilantro, and serve with warm naan.

Tip: Bone-in chicken cut into small pieces is traditional and gives a richer sauce; add 5 minutes to the covered cooking time. Do not skip the high-heat 'bhunai' at the end: that is where the karahi flavor comes from.