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Paneer karahi
Lahori-style paneer karahi: paneer in a tomato, green chilli and black pepper masala cooked fast in the wok
Karahi is named after the heavy round-bottomed wok it is cooked and served in, and the roadside dhabas of Lahore and the Grand Trunk Road through Punjab are where it is at its loudest: a cook working three pans at once over a roaring flame, late at night, for tables of friends tearing naan. The Pakistani style is lean on spice and big on tomato, garlic, ginger, green chilli and crushed black pepper, with no onion and no cream, so the masala tastes bright and sharp rather than rich. Paneer takes the place of meat here and only needs warming through. The usual mistake is pouring in water to make more gravy; a karahi gets its sauce only from tomatoes cooked down until the oil comes back out. Chef's tip: crush the coriander seeds and black pepper yourself just before cooking; the coarse, fresh crunch is what makes it taste like a dhaba karahi.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the karahi
To finish
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a karahi or wok over a medium-high heat until the ghee foams. Add 6 garlic cloves and the grated half of ½ oz fresh ginger and stir for about 30 seconds, until the raw smell turns sweet and nutty but before the garlic browns.
1 minStep 2: Tip in 5 ripe tomatoes and 1 tsp salt and turn the heat up to high. Cook, stirring and pressing the tomatoes against the side of the pan with the spoon, for 6–8 minutes, until they collapse into a thick, glossy paste.
8 minStep 3: Add 1 tsp red chilli flakes, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp ground turmeric and keep frying on a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes. You will hear the sizzle change from bubbling to frying as the water goes, and oil will pool at the edges of the masala. Do not add water at any point: this tomato paste is all the sauce a karahi has.
4 minStep 4: Turn the heat to medium, stir in 3 tbsp plain yogurt a spoonful at a time so it does not split, and cook for 2 minutes until the masala turns glossy again.
2 minStep 5: Add 14 oz paneer and 4 green chillies and fold gently for 2–3 minutes, just until the cubes are hot right through and coated. Overcooked paneer turns rubbery, so stop as soon as it is warm.
3 minStep 6: Scatter over ½ tsp garam masala, the ginger matchsticks from ½ oz fresh ginger and ½ oz fresh coriander. Serve straight from the pan with hot naan or roti and ½ lemon to squeeze over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paneer karahi take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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