Creamy karahi · No tomato
White Chicken Karahi Recipe (Creamy Safaid Karahi)
Seal the chicken. Low heat for yoghurt. Pepper finish.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenWhite karahi is a creamy, mild karahi with no tomatoes or red chilli, made with yoghurt, cream and black pepper. The sauce often splits and turns grainy. The fix is sealing the chicken first, whisking the yoghurt smooth, adding it on low heat, and finishing with cream off the boil.
The 3 laws of white chicken karahi
Why this recipe works
Stew raw
Holds juices.
High heat
No splitting.
Boiled cream
Silky sauce.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Karahi
The NineFoods white karahi gauge
Is the sauce smooth?
Look at the surface.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Seal
- Fry chicken with ginger garlic until sealed and white.
Yoghurt
- Lower heat, add yoghurt, salt and spices; cook covered until chicken is tender.
Finish
- Stir in cream, pepper, chillies and ginger. Use the gauge above.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
High heat yoghurt.
Fix next time
Add on low.
Why
Little pepper.
Fix next time
Add more pepper and salt.
Why
Watery yoghurt.
Fix next time
Reduce.
Why
Overcooked.
Fix next time
Cook just until tender.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Main | Mutton, longer cooking |
| Cream | Richness | Milk powder paste |
| White pepper | Heat | Black pepper |
| Yoghurt | Base | Greek yoghurt thinned |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Naan or paratha.
Store
Fridge 2 days.
Reheat
Gently on low.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the sauce smooth) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
White Chicken Karahi FAQ
What is white karahi?
A creamy karahi with yoghurt, cream and pepper and no tomato.
Is white karahi spicy?
Mildly, from pepper and green chilli.
Why does my sauce split?
Yoghurt added on high heat.
Can I use mutton?
Yes, cook it tender first.