Dhaba-Style Chicken Karahi
A fiery, tomato-rich karahi cooked in a cast-iron wok with ginger julienne and whole black pepper — the way roadside dhabas in Lahore do it.
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (1.2kg), cut into 12 pieces, skin removed
- 500g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 cup neutral oil or ghee
- 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
To finish
- 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienne
- 2–3 green chillies, slit lengthways
- Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in your heaviest pan — a cast-iron karahi or a thick-bottomed wok — over maximum heat. You need serious heat here; this is not a gentle dish.
- 2
Add the chicken pieces and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until golden and slightly charred at the edges. Turn and sear the other side.
- 3
Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir-fry for 1 minute until the raw smell cooks off.
- 4
Add the tomatoes, salt, red chilli, turmeric, and black pepper. Stir everything together.
- 5
Cook on high heat, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes. The tomatoes will break down completely and the oil will separate and float on top — this is the sign the masala is done.
- 6
Taste and adjust salt. The gravy should be thick, glossy, and clinging to the chicken.
- 7
Finish with butter, half the ginger julienne, green chillies, and coriander. Stir once and serve immediately straight from the pan.
What Makes a Karahi a Karahi
A karahi is named after the vessel it’s cooked in — a thick, round-bottomed wok, usually cast iron or heavy steel. The shape matters: the curved sides concentrate heat and allow the moisture to evaporate quickly, giving you that intense, reduced tomato sauce that defines the dish.
What separates a dhaba karahi from the restaurant version is three things: high heat throughout, no water added, and fresh tomatoes only (never tinned). Dhabas in Lahore and Peshawar serve this with nothing but a basket of naan and raw onion on the side. That’s all you need.
Tips for Success
Don’t add water. The tomatoes provide all the moisture needed. Adding water makes the sauce thin and the chicken steamed rather than seared.
High heat is non-negotiable. A karahi cooked on low or medium heat becomes a stew. You’re aiming for some char on the chicken and caramelisation in the sauce.
Use a whole chicken, not breast meat. Bone-in pieces add flavour and stay juicier through the high-heat cooking.
The ginger julienne goes in at the end. Adding it raw at the finish gives you bursts of fresh heat — a completely different result from cooking it in from the start.
Serve With
Fresh naan or roti. A wedge of lemon. Raw sliced onion. That’s the dhaba way.