# Karahi

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{{short description|Type of thick, circular, and deep pan}}
{{other uses|Kadai (disambiguation)}}
{{distinguish|Karachi}}
{{refimprove|date=October 2018}}
[[File:wok-and-karahi-2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A wok sits next to a karahi on a [Western](/source/Western_world)-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'''''{{efn|({{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|r|aɪ}};  also '''''kadai''', '''kerahi''', '''karai''', '''kadhi''', '''kadahi''', '''kadhai''', '''korai''', '''sarai''', or '''cheena chatti''''')}} is a type of thick, circular, and deep [cooking pot](/source/cooking_pot),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianfood.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/kadhai.htm|title=Kadhai|date=2009-09-25|publisher=Indianfood.about.com|access-date=2009-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016104259/http://indianfood.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/kadhai.htm|archive-date=2011-10-16|url-status=dead}}</ref> similar in shape to a [wok](/source/wok), from the [Indian subcontinent](/source/Indian_subcontinent). It is used in [Indian](/source/Indian_cuisine), [Nepalese](/source/Nepalese_cuisine), [Sri Lankan](/source/Sri_Lankan_cuisine), [Pakistani](/source/Pakistani_cuisine), [Bangladeshi](/source/Bangladeshi_cuisine), [Afghan](/source/Afghanistan_cuisine), and [Caribbean cuisine](/source/Caribbean_cuisine)s. Traditionally press-formed from [mild steel](/source/Carbon_steel) sheets or made of [wrought iron](/source/wrought_iron), a ''karahi'' resembles a wok with steeper sides. Today, they can be made of [stainless steel](/source/stainless_steel), [copper](/source/copper), and [nonstick](/source/Non-stick_surface) surfaces, both round and flat-bottomed, or of traditional materials. The word ''karahi'' emanates from ''karah'', a bigger version of karahi traditionally used in the subcontinent for boiling milk and producing [thick cream](/source/Cream).

== History ==
''Karahi'' or ''kadahi'' comes from the [Prakrit](/source/Prakrit) word ''kataha'', which is mentioned in texts like the ''[Ramayana](/source/Ramayana)'' and ''[Sushruta Samhita](/source/Sushruta_Samhita)'', and derives from [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit) ''kataha'' (meaning a [frying pan](/source/frying_pan), [boiler](/source/boiler), [cauldron](/source/cauldron) or [saucepan](/source/saucepan)). A karahi-like vessel is first mentioned in the ''[Vedas](/source/Vedas)'' as ''bharjanapatra''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/IndianFoodTraditionAHistoricalCompanionAchayaK.T./Indian%20Food%20Tradition%20A%20Historical%20Companion%20Achaya%20K.T._djvu.txt|title=Full text of "Indian Food Tradition A Historical Companion Achaya K. T."|website=archive.org|access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref>

== Use ==

[[File:Walnut Halwa.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A Karahi being used to cook a type of [halwa](/source/Gajar_ka_halwa)]]
A ''karahi'' serves for the [shallow](/source/Shallow_frying) or [deep-frying](/source/Deep_frying) of meat, potatoes, sweets, and snacks such as [samosa](/source/samosa) and fish and also for Indian [papadam](/source/papadam)s, but is most noted for the simmering of [stew](/source/stew)s,<ref>Promodini Varma, Dheeraj Paul [https://books.google.com/books?id=bSNbXlGCMlsC&pg=PA11&dq=kadhai#PPP3,M1 Indian Menu Planner] Introduction Roli Books Private Limited, 1995 {{ISBN|81-7437-018-8}}, {{ISBN|978-81-7437-018-1}}. 192 pages
</ref><ref>
J. Inder Singh Kalra [https://books.google.com/books?id=-UFwsluKqM8C&pg=PA28&dq=kadhai#PPA28,M1 Prashad Cooking with Indian Masters] page 28
</ref> which are often named ''karahi'' dishes after the utensil.

== Karahi dishes ==
[[File:Handi-and-karahi.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A small, decorative, copper-plated ''karahi'' (left) and'' [handi](/source/handi) ''(right) used to serve Indian food]]
Stews prepared in a ''karahi'' include [chicken](/source/chicken_karahi), beef, mutton, goat and lamb.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-07 |title=Authentic Karahi Gosht Recipe (Lamb or Mutton Karahi) |url=https://jamilghar.com/gosht-karahi/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |language=en-US}}</ref> Stews prepared with [paneer](/source/paneer) or [tofu](/source/tofu) are becoming increasingly popular amongst vegetarians.

An inverted ''karahi ''is used to cook [rumali roti](/source/rumali_roti)s.

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==See also==
* [List of cooking vessels](/source/List_of_cooking_vessels)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Karahi}}

Category:Indian food preparation utensils
Category:Pakistani food preparation utensils
Category:Cooking vessels
Category:Bangladeshi food preparation utensils

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Karahi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karahi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karahi?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.