Back when Eating In was just weeks old we set our sights on Crystal City’s Punjab Kabob. The Eads Street eatery turns out an outstanding lamb karahi that can be had for less than a song and a 20-minute wait. Adapted for the home kitchen, our version was a great but distant relative of the original. The contrasts highlight the differences between home-cooked ethnic dishes and their take-out brethren, which are often more heavily spiced, a lot more oily, and, for some reason, way more tasty after a long night of drinking.

When loyal reader Andy emailed to tell us that he’d spent considerable time working with the owner of Punjab Kabob, we knew we had to give his rendition a try. Using a wok and a mixture of fresh and processed ingredients, we created a chicken version of the Indian stir-fry that was eerily similar to the original. If you have access to a gas burner, you owe it to yourself to head to your local ethnic grocer to purchase a wok or karahi dish and give authentic restaurant-style cooking a try for yourself.

Shopping List
1/3 cup vegetable oil heated so bubbling
4 small boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp of garlic powder
1 cup tomatoes (blended)
2 inch piece ginger minced (reserve large pinch)
1 1/2 tbsp chopped green chilies (reserve large pinch)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp crushed Coriander seeds
1/2 cup yogurt plus 2 tablespoons
Pinch of black pepper
Large pinch of ginger
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp crispy fried dried onions

Notes: Crispy fried onions can be found easily at an Indian grocery. The variety your mother put on top of her green bean casserole will work just as well, and they're available everywhere.

For the coriander, try buying whole seeds and crushing them with a mortar and pestle. Freshly crushed coriander has a wonderful flavor and a distinct floral bouquet

As with any stir-fry, preparation is key. Adding one ingredient and letting it cook too long before adding the next can completely change the character of your karahi. Be sure to prepare and stage the above ingredient list completely before you even think of firing up your wok.

Heat the oil to just before the smoke point over high heat and add the chicken pieces. Cook, stirring often until the chicken starts to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic powder and stir to coat the chicken pieces, then quickly add the tomatoes, ginger, green chilies, salt, chili powder and coriander seeds.

Continue to cook on high heat, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, the oil should begin to separate. Do your heart a favor and skim what oil you can out of the wok.

Continue to reduce until the ingredients have thickened considerably.
Add the ½ cup yogurt and stir to combine. Next add the black pepper, cilantro, reserved green chilies, and ginger. Mix well, stirring continuously on high for 2 minutes

Finally, add the fried onions and reserved yogurt before giving your karahi a final stir before serving. To serve it, use a large serving dish placed in the center of your guests. Depending on its size you can even use the pan you cooked in as they do at Punjab Kabob.

While the process is somewhat involved, this recipe is definitely worth a try. If prepared correctly, it's uncanny how close you can get to the original. Just be sure to have plenty of rice and naan available to soak up all that Punjabi flavor.