Lahori Chicken Karahi Recipe (Dua Restaurant, Pressure Cooker)

This Lahori chicken karahi is cooked in two stages at Dua Restaurant on Karachi’s Super Highway: chicken, onion, tomato and spices are pressure-cooked for 7-8 minutes, then poured into a wide karahi and roasted with yogurt, green chillies and crushed coriander, cumin and black pepper. As the chef says in the video, the onion is what separates Lahori karahi from Peshawari karahi, which uses none. The amounts below come from the video’s spoken captions, which were auto-translated.

Watch the Lahori Chicken Karahi Video

• 0:30 Chicken, 750 g
• 0:37 The spices
• 0:54 Onions and tomatoes in the cooker
• 1:30 Cooker closed, 7-8 minutes
• 1:54 Poured into the karahi
• 2:34 Yogurt
• 3:01 Green chillies
• 3:27 Crushed coriander, cumin and black pepper
• 4:01 The finished karahi

What Makes This Lahori Chicken Karahi Different

Pressure-cooked first. The chicken is cooked under pressure for 7-8 minutes, so it is tender before the karahi stage.

Onion in the karahi. The Lahori karahi uses onion. A Peshawari karahi does not.

Less water at home. The chef says the restaurant flame is very high and the water dries fast, so use less water at home, because the flame at home is low.

Crushed spices at the end. 1 tsp each of crushed coriander, cumin and black pepper go in at the end, followed by chopped ginger.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken: 750 g, karahi cut.
• Water: 2 glasses at the restaurant; use a little less at home.
• Ginger: finely chopped, added after the crushed spices; the video does not give an amount.

Amounts are from the video and recipe card. Items marked * are our estimate.

How to Make Lahori Chicken Karahi

1. Cook in the pressure cooker

Put the chicken, chopped onions and tomatoes in the pressure cooker. Add the salt, garlic paste, ginger paste and crushed red chilli, then the water and the oil. Close the cooker and cook for 7-8 minutes.

2. Transfer to a karahi

Release the steam, open the cooker and pour everything into a wide, flat karahi. Cook on high heat until the water dries and the gravy thickens.

3. Add the yogurt and green chillies

Add the yogurt and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the slit green chillies and roast on high heat for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the crushed spices

Add the crushed coriander, cumin and black pepper, roast for 2-3 minutes, then add the chopped ginger and roast for 2-3 more minutes.

5. Finish and serve

Finish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Lahori Chicken Karahi

Lahori Chicken Karahi is a popular Pakistani dish made with marinated chicken, cooked in a wok with a blend of spices, onions, and tomatoes. This recipe is inspired by the famous Dua Restaurant in Karachi, known for its flavorful and aromatic karahi. The dish is a perfect combination of spicy and tangy flavors, making it a must-try for anyone who loves Pakistani cuisine.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Persons

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Karachi / Pakistani, Restaurant Style

Calories: 450

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

Pressure cooker stage

• 750 g chicken karahi cut
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 2-3 medium tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp crushed red chilli
• 2 glasses water use less at home
• 1/2 cup cooking oil

Karahi stage

• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 3-4 green chillies slit in the middle
• 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed
• 1 tsp black pepper crushed
• ginger finely chopped; amount not stated
• fresh coriander to finish

Method

 

Pressure cooker

1. Put the chicken, chopped onions and tomatoes in a pressure cooker. Add the salt, garlic paste, ginger paste and crushed red chilli.
2. Add the water and the oil, close the cooker and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Karahi

1. Release the steam, open the cooker and transfer everything to a wide, flat karahi. Cook on high heat until the water dries and the gravy thickens.
2. Add the yogurt and roast for 2-3 minutes, then add the slit green chillies and roast on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the crushed coriander, cumin and black pepper and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped ginger and roast for 2-3 more minutes.
4. Finish with fresh coriander and serve.

Video

Notes

Serve hot with naan or rice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.

Lahori Chicken Karahi Problems and How to Fix Them

• The gravy is watery: cook the karahi on high heat until the water dries before the yogurt goes in.
• The chicken is overcooked: use less water and keep the pressure cooker time to 7-8 minutes.
• The karahi is not spicy enough: add the crushed spices at the end and roast them for the full 2-3 minutes.

Serving and Storing

Serve hot with naan or paratha. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a pan.

Lahori Chicken Karahi FAQs

Does Lahori karahi use onion?

Yes. The video says onion is the main difference from Peshawari karahi.

Why use a pressure cooker?

It cooks the chicken quickly and keeps it tender before the karahi stage.

How much water do I use at home?

The restaurant uses 2 glasses on a very high flame. Use a little less at home.

More Recipes

• Green chicken karahi: a creamy green karahi from Khyber Shinwari.
• Shinwari mutton karahi: the Peshawari-style karahi without onions.
• Dua beef Bihari boti: another recipe from Dua Restaurant.