Karahi

also called kadai · kadhai · karai · chicken karahi · kadai chicken · karahi gosht

The table

2 lb(900 g; cut small, on the bone)bone-in chickensear 6 min over high heatfry 8 min, until the skins lift and the fat comes cleartoss in and take it to the table
3 Tbs(42 g)ghee
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
1 cup(240 g; the base recipe)onion-tomato masala
3 medium(quartered)tomatoes
1 Tbscoriander seedstoast 2 min, until they cracklecrush coarsely, not to a powder
3(broken, seeds shaken out)dried red chiles
2 Tbs(cut in matchsticks)fresh ginger
2(slit)green chiles
1 Tbs(14 g)butter
1/4 cup(roughly torn)cilantro
A karahi is a round-bottomed steel pan what it does is put a lot of heat on a small area which is why this is the one on the list that is fried hard and briefly rather than simmered. Quartered tomatoes rather than crushed ginger cut in sticks rather than grated: everything here is meant to still be recognisable when it arrives. Lamb and prawn karahi are the same pan and the same masala
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.13 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1sear 6 min over high heat

2toast 2 min, until they crackle

4fry 8 min, until the skins lift and the fat comes clear

goes in with what step 1 made

5toss in and take it to the table

goes in with what steps 3 and 4 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 14 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
16 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. It adds up to more hands-on time than the whole dish takes because two branches run at once — which needs someone free to run both. The recipe itself says 45 min.

  1. toast 2 min, until they crackle

    2 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. sear 6 min over high heat

    6 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. crush coarsely, not to a powder

    not timed2 min in

  4. fry 8 min, until the skins lift and the fat comes clear

    8 minneeds you6 min in

  5. toss in and take it to the table

    not timed14 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need karahi · mortar

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Karahi
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, indian, tomato, ginger, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: kadai, kadhai, karai, chicken karahi, kadai chicken, karahi gosht
>> pairs-with: onion-tomato-masala, naan, kachumber
>> servings: 4
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: toast 2 min, until they crackle
>> step.2: crush coarsely, not to a powder
>> step.3: sear 6 min over high heat
>> step.4: fry 8 min, until the skins lift and the fat comes clear
>> step.5: toss in and take it to the table

Toast @coriander seeds{1%Tbs} and @dried red chiles{3}(broken, seeds shaken out) in a dry #karahi{} ~toast{2%min}, until they crackle and smell of the pan rather than the jar.

Crush @&(~1)toasted spice{} coarsely in a #mortar{} — coarse is the whole difference between kadai masala and curry powder, and you want to be able to see the pieces in the finished dish.

Sear @bone-in chicken{2%lb}(900 g; cut small, on the bone) in @ghee{3%Tbs}(42 g) with @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} in the karahi over high heat ~sear{6%min}.

Fry @onion-tomato masala{1%cup}(240 g; the base recipe) and @tomatoes{3%medium}(quartered) into @&(~1)seared chicken{} ~fry{8%min}, pressing the tomatoes as they go, until the skins lift away and the fat runs clear at the edge.

Toss @fresh ginger{2%Tbs}(cut in matchsticks), @green chiles{2}(slit), @butter{1%Tbs}(14 g) and @cilantro{1/4%cup}(roughly torn) into @&(~1)karahi{} with @&(~3)crushed kadai masala{}, and carry the pan to the table — the pan is the serving dish and the dish is named after it.

A karahi is a round-bottomed steel pan, and what it does is put a lot of heat on a small area, which is why this is the one on the list that is fried hard and briefly rather than simmered. Quartered tomatoes rather than crushed, ginger cut in sticks rather than grated: everything here is meant to still be recognisable when it arrives. Lamb and prawn karahi are the same pan and the same masala.