Kadhai Chicken or Chicken Kadhai is a spicy, flavourful dish made with aromatic spices. It is a very popular dish in Indian and Pakistani restaurants.
Table of Contents
1. About the recipe
2. Ingredients
3. Step-by-step method
4. Tips
Serving Suggestion: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
1. About the recipe
Kadhai is a deep-bottom cooking vessel, so the name calls the dish prepared in that particular vessel by itself. Not only is the dish prepared with chicken but also with mutton/lamb, paneer and vegetables. It is traditionally prepared with fresh tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, garlic, and aromatic spice powders. It is one of the famous restaurant favourites that are popular across the globe for its unique rich taste and flavour.
While the authentic Pakistani chicken karahi is prepared with fresh tomatoes as a base, the Indian version has onions and bell peppers in the recipe list. In fact, both versions are unique in their taste and flavour.
2 . Ingredients :
The ingredients you will need to prepare this Chicken Kadhai are basic. In fact, some of the ingredients are common in most households.
- 500gm curry cut chicken
- 1 medium size onion
- 3 to 4 large tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon of red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder
- 2 ½ tablespoons of special kadhai masala powder
- Oil
- Salt
- Coriander leaves chopped
- 5 to 6 green chillies
Special Kadhai Masala
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
3 tablespoons of coriander seeds
5 to 6 dry red chilli
2 tablespoons of black pepper
On a hot pan, roast this masala for a few minutes, roasting them on medium flame until the aroma of the spices comes out.
In a grinder, grind them into powder.
3. Step by Step method :
First, to make this curry, Pour oil and saute sliced onions; after the onion turns slightly pink, add the chicken pieces. Here we have to be a little generous with oil to stir-fry the chicken until it turns white.
Once they are white, add the ginger, garlic paste and salt. Saute them well until the raw smell leaves the chicken. Add tomatoes, close the pan with the lid, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Then, open the lid. Tomatoes and onions should be soft. Mix and add the green chillies, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and kadhai masala. Give everything a good mix, close the pan again and cook for 10 minutes.
You may feel the fresh aroma of the spices and chicken by this time. Open the lid and give the curry a good mix.
At this stage, simmer the heat and cook the chicken gravy until it turns dark red-brown.
Now garnish the curry with coriander leaves. Enjoy this authentic kadhai with roti, naan, zeera rice.
Usually, in the traditional recipe, people prepare the curry with only a tomato base. But here I am using onion. Also, you can use it if you want to add some extra flavour to the curry. Some other style kadhai typically has yoghurt in their chicken curry to get some extra saucy flavour. Here I have used only tomatoes to achieve a saucy consistency.
You could also use diced bell peppers to achieve a Restaurant Style Kadhai/karahi Chicken. And you can also alter the recipe with lamb, egg, or paneer to get a different unique flavour and taste.
4. Tips:
- Frying the chicken in oil for initial few minutes along with a good amount of ginger garlic gives a rich flavour and taste.
- Adding fresh tomatoes gives an authentic gravy compared to the one we find in cans. So I suggest you follow the same.
- Simmering the chicken gravy for the final few minutes takes the karahi to the next level. So I recommend sticking with it to achieve rich flavour and taste.
