Chargha
A whole chicken slashed and marinated in yoghurt, lemon and spice, steamed until tender, then deep-fried until the outside is crisp.
What makes it chargha
- A whole chicken, usually skinned, slashed deep to the bone.
- A red marinade of yoghurt, lemon, chilli and spice.
- Steamed first, then deep-fried whole.
Where it comes from
Lahore's party chicken, sold whole from shops and food streets and brought to the table with naan, salad and raita. The two-stage cooking is what makes it: steaming cooks the bird through and keeps it juicy, and a short, fierce frying colours and crisps the outside.
It's often said to be the Lahori answer to tandoori chicken, and it shares the marinade, if not the oven.
How it varies
- Steam roast
- Steamed but not fried — a lighter cousin, beloved at Pakistani weddings.
Be the first here
Start your own charghaNo one here has made chargha yet. Start it as v1, and every version after is an experiment the next cook can learn from.
Near it
PunjabiTandoori chickenChicken on the bone, marinated in yoghurt, lemon and spice, then roasted fast in the fierce heat of a clay tandoor.No one here has made it yet
PunjabiButter chickenTandoori chicken simmered in a mild, silky sauce of tomato, butter and cream, scented with dried fenugreek.No one here has made it yet