{{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-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,<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, from the Indian subcontinent. It is used in Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afghan, and Caribbean cuisines. Traditionally press-formed from mild steel sheets 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 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.
== History == ''Karahi'' or ''kadahi'' comes from the Prakrit word ''kataha'', which is mentioned in texts like the ''Ramayana'' and ''Sushruta Samhita'', and derives from Sanskrit ''kataha'' (meaning a frying pan, boiler, cauldron or saucepan). A karahi-like vessel is first mentioned in the ''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]] 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,<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 ''(right) used to serve Indian food]] Stews prepared in a ''karahi'' include chicken, 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 or tofu are becoming increasingly popular amongst vegetarians.
An inverted ''karahi ''is used to cook rumali rotis.
==Notes== {{noteslist}}
==See also== * 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