Karahi

A wok sits next to a karahi on a Western-style stove. Note that the flat-bottomed karahi (right) sits on an ordinary burner cover, while the round-bottomed wok balances in a wok-ring. Karahi often have round (loop-shaped) handles.

A karahi (/kəˈraɪ/; Bengali: কড়াই, romanized: koṛāi, Hindi: कड़ाही, romanized: kaṛāhī, Marathi: कढई, Urdu: کڑاہی‎; also kadai, kerahi, karai, kadhi, kadahi, kadhai sarai, or cheena chatti) is a type of thick, circular, and deep cooking pot (similar in shape to a wok) that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is used in Indian, Afghan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Nepalese cuisines. Traditionally press-formed from mild steel sheet or made of wrought iron, a karahi resembles a wok with steeper sides. Today, they can be made of stainless steel, copper, and nonstick surfaces, both round and flat-bottomed, or of the traditional materials.

History

Karahi or Kadahi comes from the Prakrit word Kataha, mentioned in Ramayana, Sushruta Samhita. The Karahi vessel is first mentioned in the Vedas as bharjanapatra.

Use

Egg being fried in a karahi

Karahi serve for the shallow or deep frying of meat, potatoes, sweets, and snacks such as samosa and fish and also for Indian papadums, but are most noted for the simmering of stews or posola, which are often named karahi dishes after the utensil.

Karahi dishes

A small, decorative, copper-plated karahi (left) and handi (right) used to serve Indian food

Stews prepared in a karahi include chicken karahi, beef karahi, mutton karahi (usually made with goat meat, reflecting South Asian usage of the word mutton) and dumba karahi (made with lamb meat) and also karahi paneer (a vegetarian version). Prepared in a reduced tomato and green-chilli base, a karahi is a popular late-night meal in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, usually ordered by the kilogram or half/full karahis and consumed with naan.

An inverted karahi is used to cook rumali rotis.

See also

• List of cooking vessels