Aromatic chicken handi

Though having lived most of my life in Pakistan, I never came across this dish being referred to as balti, in Pakistan a similar dish is served up on food streets and homes known as handi.

The name refers to the simple glazed terracotta pot it is cooked in over a log fire, the smoke of the wood adds to the haunting spice and dry curry sauce. Pakistani curries are not always watery in fact most curries in Pakistan are of the dryish variety. Always eaten with naan or plain basmati rice, handi is either made with meat, poultry or vegetables. This style of cooking celebrates the freshness of seasonal local produce and many styles of Pakistani heritage cooking and flavours from across the country.

My personal favourite way to cook Pakistani food is handi style – it rejoices in good produce, reminds me of wonderfully fragrant street food stalls and the essence of the simple yet uniquely aromatic flavours of Pakistan all rolled into one.