Karahi

A wok sits next to a karahi on a Western-style stove. Note that the flat-bottomed karahi (right) is sitting on an ordinary burner cover, while the round-bottomed wok is balanced in a wok-ring. Karahi often have round (loop-shaped) handles, though the one shown does not.

A karahi (also spelled karai - both pronounced the same "ka-rai") is a type of thick, circular, and deep vessel (similar in shape to a wok) used in Indian and Pakistani cooking. Also known as a kadai or cheena chatti, it is useful for shallow or deep frying of meat, potatoes, sweets, and snacks such as samosa and fish, and for simmering of stews (which are often named after the utensil).

Karahi are traditionally made out of cast iron, although other materials like stainless steel and copper are sometimes used, and non-stick varieties do exist.

Kadai

A kadai, also spelled kadhi, kadahi, or kadhai, refers to a type of cooking pot and various kinds of Indian^[1] and Pakistani dishes prepared in it. The utensil is used to prepare posola ^[2][3] and several dishes named after the utensil (but sometimes prepared using other methods), such as "chicken kadai" and "kadai paneer". The word is frequently used in Pakistan, India and Nepal.

Balti

A balti is also a dish cooked in a karahi, though in this case the term likely originated in Birmingham, England.^[4] Baltis are based on the food of Baltistan, an area of Pakistan close to the Chinese border, that is home to a sizable ethnic Tibetan population. As such, baltis are differently spiced and contain somewhat different ingredients as compared to general Pakistani food, having more of a Kashmiri and Afghan influence.

References

Sources

• Pots, Pans, and Griddles
• Mutton Karahi
• Saroj's Cookbook: Kadai Vegetable Dishes
• Cooking Paraphernalia
• Traditional Indian Cooking Utensils