My style Chicken Kadai!

Kadai chicken is a bellwether dish of Indian cuisine, a favourite in North Indian households and today there are varieties of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian versions of this dish. Use freshly pounded coriander and cumin seeds gives out a distinctive aroma and flavour. Though Karahi dishes originated in Afghan and Persia yet Karahi gosht is said to be a dish of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as NWFP).

Landi Kotal, a rustic and traditionally Pukhtun town, sitting close to Afghanistan atop the Khyber Pass. The Shinwari and Afridi tribes hail from this region and it is also considered to be the historical home of the balti or karahi gosht. From Landi Kotal, the delicious balti gosht travelled to Punjab and then the rest of the world.

Karahi curry literally refers to any curry cooked in a karahi. Usually, Karahi is a tomato-based curry with very few spices like ginger, garlic, green chillies, cumin, coriander and pepper. So, at times when we are cooking chicken in tomato puree, it either gets over-cooked and chicken flesh comes falling off the bone or else tomatoes have a raw taste if cooked on high flame. Both conditions will spoil the taste and delicacy of Karahi. This dish is noted for its spicy taste. The Pakistani version does not have capsicum or onions whereas the North Indian version uses both.

This is how I make it.

Ingredients

1. Chicken 750gm
2. One large onion peeled and diced
3. 1 large capsicum diced
4. 2 green chillies chopped
5. 1 tsp ginger paste
6. 3/4 tsp garlic paste
7. 2 medium tomatoes pureed
8. 2tsp onion paste
9. Turmeric-1/2 tsp
10. red chilli powder or paprika-1/2 tsp
11. cumin powder 1 tsp
12. coriander powder 2 tsp
13. 1/2 cup water
14. Salt to taste
15. Oil-4 tbsp
16. 1tsp butter
17. 100ml cream
18. chopped fresh coriander

For karahi masala powder

1. 3 tsp coriander seeds crushed
2. 3 tsp cumin seeds
3. 6 black peppercorns
4. clove 4/5
5. green cardamom 2/3
6. brown cardamom 1
7. Cinnamon 1inch stick
8. Bay leaves 2
9. Dry whole red chillies 2
10. Mace 1/2
11. 1/2tsp of garam masala

For tempering

1.1tsp coriander seeds crushed

2.1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3.6 black peppercorns

4.clove 4/5

5.green cardamom 2/3

6.brown cardamom 1

7.Cinnamon 1inch stick

8.bay leaves 2

9.dry red chillies 2

Instructions

1. Dry roast the karahi masala spices in a pan for about a minute or two until fragrant.Grind to a coarse powder in a food processor.Keep aside.
2. Heat a karahi or wok, add oil.Once heated add the diced capsicum and onions. Saute until slightly golden. Keep them aside.
3. Add Little oil, let it heat then add the chicken and ginger,garlic paste. Saute for about a minute.
4. Add salt and red chilli powder. Saute for another few minutes.
5. Add turmeric, little chopped green chillies, cumin, coriander and 1 and a half teaspoon of karahi masala powder, mix well on medium-low heat.
6. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook for few minutes. Add water and cover it till the chicken is fully cooked.
7. Add the butter and the cream, sprinkle little bit of karahi masala on top.
8. Garnish with chopped coriandar and serve with hot with paratha or roti.

Brownie points: Adding red chilli powder before turmeric enhances the colour the the dish.