Growing up I had phases where I got super obsessed with a certain pakistani dish. When I was really young, it was aloo paratha. Basically a buttery, crispy flatbread with spicy potato stuffed in between. My mom would always make it with a side of spicy mango chutney and man, it was just heaven. Technically this is a breakfast/brunch item, but I was requesting this for every single meal. Just typing this up now, my mouths watering for that buttery deliciousness dipped in mango spiciness. DROOL. Anyways, I eventually (kinda) passed that phase- and I eventually made my way to Chicken Karahi.
Chicken Karahi is a blend of tomatoes, yogurt, spices, and bites full of pepper and chicken. It’s paired with simple white rice or fresh naan. This dish has a thick consistency that is literally bursting with masala and flavor. You can see my reasoning for my obsession. Well by the time I got to college, I realized I had literally never made a pakistani dish. (And no, I didn’t want to be the kid who has their parents freeze a bunch of meals for them.) I wanted to be the one who could cook up a fresh homemade meal! Well after many phone calls and failed batches and “just a pinch of X”, I finally got a recipe that could almost match my mom’s authentic version!
On the same note- you should look into any indian/desi grocery stores near you. Google is your friend. They basically sell these masala packets that have already blended spices ready to go for every dish. The one you want for this dish is Achar Gosht. It comes with 2-3 packets in each box and they last a very long time! While you’re strolling around the store, chances are that they sell freshly made naan- which is just another reason to make this dish. Honestly if you’ve ever bought pita bread or those 2 pack “naans” from a chain store- you are going to thank me! Those are soooo expensive and, lets be real, not that good. For about 5x less, you get more product and more flavor. It’s a win win situation! If you don’t want to venture out to an indian grocery store, chances are that your local grocery store will have these Shan Masala Packets in their ethnic food aisle. HEB here definitely sells quite a few, although the prices are a little bit marked up. Either way, it’s definitely an easy and essential part to making authentic paki food at home!
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 lb chicken, cubed
- 2 tbsp achar gosht masala mix
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
- 1 Serrano pepper, split vertically
- 7.5 oz garbanzo beans
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup original yogurt
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves
- In a pot, add a layer of olive oil and turn to medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the chopped onion. Stir occasionally and allow the onion to brown.
- In a small bowl, add cubed chicken and 1 tbsp of achar gosht. Stir to coat well. Add to browned onions. Add in ginger and garlic to the pot. Cook until chicken is opaque.
- Add in tomatoes, jalepeno, and serrano to the pot. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add in garbanzo beans.
- Add in yogurt, salt, coriander powder, curry powder, and cayenne powder. Stir well.
- Turn heat to low and allow the dish to simmer. The excess liquid will evaporate after about 5 minutes.
- Serve freshly hot with coriander leaves sprinkled on top and a cup of rice on the side!
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