A karahi (/kəˈraɪ/; Assamese: কেৰাহী, romanized: kerahi, Bengali: কড়াই, romanized: koṛāi, Hindi: कड़ाही, romanized: kaṛāhī, Marathi: कढई, Nepali: करै, Urdu: کڑاہی, Persian: کرہ, Telugu: కడాయి also kadai, kerahi, karai, kadhi, kadahi, kadhai sarai, or cheena chatti) is a type of thick, circular, and deep cooking pot^[1] (similar in shape to a wok) that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is used in Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi/Bengali, Afghan, and Caribbean cuisines. Traditionally press-formed from mild steel sheets or made of wrought iron, a karahi resembles a wok with steeper sides.^{[citation needed]} Today, they can be made of stainless steel, copper, and nonstick surfaces, both round and flat-bottomed, or of traditional materials. The word Karrahi emanates from Karah, a bigger version of wok traditionally used in the subcontinent for boiling milk and producing thick cream, that stems from the Persian word کرہ meaning circular.

History[edit]

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.^[2]

Use[edit]

A Karahi serves for the shallow or deep-frying of meat, potatoes, sweets, and snacks such as samosa and fish and also for Indian papadams, but is most noted for the simmering of stews or posola,^[3][4] which are often named karahi dishes after the utensil.

Karahi dishes[edit]

Stews prepared in a karahi include chicken, beef, mutton (goat) and lamb.^[5] Karahis prepared with paneer or tofu are becoming increasingly popular amongst vegetarians. Prepared in a reduced tomato and green-chilli base with ghee, 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[edit]

• List of cooking vessels

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Media related to Karahi at Wikimedia Commons