Karahi chicken

   'Karahi Chicken', an Pakistani dish, derives its name from the round, circular shaped wok (called as karahi) they are cooked with.   Prepared with tomatos and green chilly as its base, this gravy is not only flavourful, but also was delecious.  

With an toddler around, I decided to go with moderate amounts of green chilly (If you wish this dish to be highly spicy, you can add more amount of green chillies) Remaining amount of green chilly, was substituted with capsicum slices to give an sweet touch.  This dish, is cooked as an one pot meal and traditionally was cherished till late nights.  Simplistic approach, with easy-peasy ingredients and no-oil cooking complements this dish an lot.

Creamy Phool Makhana Curry Recipe: A Nutritious Lotus Seed Gravy

Have you ever spotted Phool Makhana (popped lotus seeds) in the spice aisle of your local supermarket and wondered what to do with them?

While many of us love munching on them roasted and spiced just like popcorn, these little powerhouses are incredibly versatile. In Chinese cuisine, they are celebrated for their ability to 'clear heat' and restore perfect balance and health to the body. Here in India, they make a frequent appearance in comforting desserts like makhana kheer or as a crunchy evening snack.

But today, we are turning them into something deeply comforting and luxurious: a rich, restaurant-style Makhana Curry. It features a velvety tomato-cashew base that perfectly coats the roasted lotus seeds.

Here is what the raw phool makhana looks like before we transform it:

And our fabulous end product is 

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

• Phool makhana: 1 cup
• Oil: 3 tsp
• Whole jeera (cumin seeds): ½ tsp
• Green chillies: 4-5, slit lengthwise
• Mint leaves: 4-5 fresh leaves
• Onion: ½ cup, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder (haldi): ½ tsp
• Kitchen King Masala: 1 tsp (Everest brand works great)
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Tomato puree: 1 cup
• Almond or Cashew paste: 3 tsp (for that signature richness)
• Salt: ½ tsp (or to taste)
• Fresh coriander leaves: 2 tsp, finely chopped for garnish
• Water: A splash for cooking spices

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👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Toast the Makhana

Heat a dry kadai (pan) and roast the phool makhana until they turn a beautiful, light golden brown and get crunchy. Keep a close eye on them and stir frequently—they can burn quickly! Once done, set them aside.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base

In another kadai, heat the oil. Toss in the jeera, slit green chillies, and fresh mint leaves. Let them sizzle and release their aroma.

Step 3: Sauté the Onions

Throw in the finely chopped onions. Cook them patiently until they turn a rich, golden brown.

Step 4: Cook the Spices

Add the ginger-garlic paste and all your dry spice powders (turmeric, Kitchen King, and garam masala). Sprinkle a tiny splash of water so the spices don't burn, and cook until the oil starts to separate from the sides of the mixture.

Step 5: Simmer the Gravy

Pour in the fresh tomato puree and your almond or cashew paste. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the raw smell disappears.

Step 6: Bring it All Together

Finally, gently fold in your roasted phool makhana. Let everything simmer together on low heat for another 10 minutes so the makhana absorbs all those incredible, rich flavors.

Garnish your masterpiece with a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves. Just look at that rich, velvety texture—isn't this creamy sauce absolutely wonderful? It pairs beautifully with hot, fluffy phulkas or a bowl of steamed basmati rice.

If you give this recipe a try at home, let me know in the comments below how it turned out for you!

Easy Pakistani Chicken Nihari Recipe: Authentic Morning Stew Made Simple

Originating from the Urdu word Nahar (meaning "morning"), Nihari is a legendary, deeply spiced meat stew traditionally eaten for breakfast across Pakistan. 

While it is classically prepared using slow-cooked beef or goat shank, this recipe uses tender chicken with bones and a rich chicken broth, allowing you to recreate those deep, aromatic flavors quickly and easily at home.

Ingredients

For the Fresh Nihari Masala Paste

• 1 cup Onions, chopped
• 5–6 Whole cloves
• 4 Green cardamoms
• 2 tsp Caraway seeds (Shah Jeera)

Main Curry Ingredients

• 5 tsp oil
• 350g Chicken pieces (with bones for maximum flavor)
• 1 cup Quality chicken broth
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Everest Chicken Masala
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 2 tsp Tomato puree (optional, for a touch of tang and color)

For Garnish (Highly Recommended)

• Fresh ginger, julienned
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Green chilies, finely sliced
• Lemon wedges

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Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Blend the Masala Paste

1. Add the chopped onions, whole cloves, green cardamoms, and shah jeera into a blender.
2. Blend with a splash of water if needed to form a smooth, uniform masala paste.

Step 2: Fry the Aromatics

1. Heat 5 teaspoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan over medium heat.
2. Pour in the freshly blended onion-spice masala paste. Sauté the paste thoroughly until the raw smell disappears and the oil begins to separate at the edges.

Step 3: Sear the Chicken & Add Broth

1. Add the chicken pieces to the fried masala paste and sauté for 2–3 minutes until the surface of the meat changes color.
2. Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and stir well to combine.

Step 4: Spice and Simmer

1. Stir in the turmeric powder, salt, chicken masala, garam masala, and tomato puree (if using).
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low.
3. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and simmer until the chicken becomes perfectly tender and succulent, allowing all the rich spice flavors to penetrate the meat.

Serving Suggestion

Serve your hot Chicken Nihari in a bowl garnished with plenty of ginger juliennes, fresh coriander, green chilies, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy it traditionally with hot naan or roti.

Garlic Tomato Rice Recipe | Easy & Flavorful Indian Tomato Rice

This fabulous garlic tomato rice is simply irresistible! Fragrant garlic, juicy tomatoes and aromatic Indian spices come together with fluffy basmati rice to create a delicious and comforting meal.

Try it once, and don't be surprised if your family asks you to make it again and again! 😋

Ingredients Required

For Tempering

• 5–6 tsp oil

• ½ cup finely chopped garlic

• 2–3 whole red chillies, broken

• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

For the Rice

• ½ cup finely sliced onion

• ½ cup finely sliced tomatoes

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp red chilli powder

• ½ tsp hing (asafoetida/perungayam)

• 1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya powder)

• 1 tsp cumin powder (jeera powder)

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

• 1½ cups basmati rice

• 1 cup tomato puree

• 1¼ cups water

• 4 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Prepare the tempering

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel. Add the chopped garlic, broken red chillies and cumin seeds. Sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant and lightly golden.

2. Sauté the onions

Add the sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.

3. Add tomatoes and spices

Add the sliced tomatoes along with garam masala, red chilli powder, hing, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes soften.

4. Add tomato puree and water

Pour in the tomato puree and water. Mix well and check the salt and spice level at this stage. Adjust according to taste.

5. Add the basmati rice

Wash and soak the basmati rice for about 15 minutes. Drain and add the rice to the tomato mixture.

I prefer cooking this rice in an open vessel rather than pressure cooking it. This helps the basmati grains remain separate and gives the rice a lovely, grainy texture instead of becoming soggy.

Bring it to a boil and cook until the rice rises to the surface. Then reduce the flame, cover the vessel and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is completely cooked.

6. Garnish and serve

Gently fluff the rice and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot and enjoy this delicious, aromatic garlic tomato rice!