Karahi masala base
A fresh tomato, ginger and green chilli gravy for chicken karahi and lamb karahi, cooked down in a wide pan.
Make this once, then cook it into 16 different dishes.
- Time45 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.33 a head
- Makesabout 700 ml, enough for 2 karahis for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan or wok over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
0 min 20 s - 2
Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
2 min - 3
Add the fresh and tinned tomatoes, coriander, black pepper and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cook uncovered, mashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, for 30 minutes until thick and jammy and the oil has begun to separate around the edge.
30 min - 5
Crush in the dried fenugreek leaves and cook for 1 minute. Measure it: you want about 700 ml. Cook longer if it is thin.
- 6
Cool quickly in a sink of cold water, portion into 300 ml tubs and chill or freeze within 1 to 2 hours.
About karahi masala base
Karahi masala base is a thick, chunky gravy of fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilli and a few simple spices, used for karahi, a Pakistani and North Indian dish cooked and served in a wok shaped pan called a karahi (or kadai). The gravy is dry and clinging, not saucy, and the flavour is bright, fresh and peppery.
A classic Lahori or Peshawari karahi uses almost nothing but tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, black pepper and oil or ghee, with no onion and no cream. The taste comes from tomatoes cooked down until the oil separates.
This base is vegan and free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts if you cook it with oil. Use ghee for a more traditional flavour if you do not need it dairy free. Use about 300 ml with 600 g of chicken, lamb or paneer for 4 people.
Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes, or a mix of fresh and tinned. Out of season tomatoes need a spoon of tomato purée.
- Cook the tomatoes until the oil separates and the mixture looks glossy and jammy. This is the key sign.
- Leave it chunky. Karahi gravy is meant to cling to the meat, not be smooth.
- Finish each dish with julienned ginger, chopped green chilli and fresh coriander.
- Ghee gives a richer, more traditional flavour but it makes the base non dairy free.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours. Keeps for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer in 300 ml portions. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with karahi masala base
Monkfish Balti
GFDFEFJhinga Karahi (Prawn Karahi)
GFDFEFKofta Salan (Pakistani Meatball Curry)
DFEFNFKarahi Gosht (Lamb Karahi)
DFEFNFKaleji Karahi (Chicken Liver Karahi)
DFEFNFPaneer Karahi
EFNFVAnda Karahi (Egg Karahi)
DFNFVChana Karahi (Chickpea Karahi)
GFDFEFBaingan Karahi (Aubergine Karahi)
DFEFNFKhumb Matar Karahi (Mushroom and Pea Karahi)
DFEFNFMachli Karahi (Lahori Fish Karahi)
DFEFNFKarahi Keema Matar (Minced Lamb and Peas)
GFDFEFQuestions
Is there onion in karahi?
In the traditional Peshawari and Lahori styles, no. The gravy is tomato, ginger, garlic and chilli only. Many UK restaurants add onion, but this base keeps to the classic.
How hot is karahi?
Moderately hot and peppery. The heat comes from green chillies and black pepper. Remove the chilli seeds for a milder base.
Can I use tinned tomatoes?
Yes, and a mix works well. Use good chopped tomatoes and cook them for a little longer to reduce the extra liquid.
Is it gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, as written, with oil. It has no flour, no dairy and no nuts. If you add ghee it is no longer dairy free.
What do I do with the base?
Fry your raw chicken or lamb in oil until sealed, stir in 300 ml of the base, and cook until tender and the sauce clings. Finish with fresh ginger and coriander.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.