Chainaki

Name: Chainaki
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Afghan
Ingredients: 700g bone-in lamb shoulder or neck, cut into large pieces; 3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered; 2 medium onions, roughly chopped; 3 medium tomatoes, quartered; 400g canned or pre-cooked chickpeas, drained; 2 green chillies, left whole; 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed; 1½ tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; Salt and black pepper to taste; 200ml water or light lamb stock; 2 tbsp vegetable oil or clarified butter

چینکی/chay-NAH-kee/

About this dish

Chainaki is a slow-cooked Afghan lamb and vegetable stew prepared and served in individual clay or ceramic pots, allowing the ingredients to braise together in their own juices for a rich, deeply flavored result. It is a warming, hearty dish commonly enjoyed across Afghanistan, particularly valued for its simplicity and the way the pot-cooking method concentrates its flavors.

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Ingredients

🥩700g bone-in lamb shoulder or neck, cut into large pieces

🥔3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

🧅2 medium onions, roughly chopped

🍅3 medium tomatoes, quartered

🫘400g canned or pre-cooked chickpeas, drained

🌶️2 green chillies, left whole

🧄4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

🫙1½ tsp ground coriander

🌿1 tsp ground cumin

🧂Salt and black pepper to taste

💧200ml water or light lamb stock

🫒2 tbsp vegetable oil or clarified butter

Method

Serves 3

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). If using traditional individual clay pots, ensure they are suitable for oven use; a single medium casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid works equally well.

Season the lamb pieces generously with salt, black pepper, ground coriander, and ground cumin, turning to coat all sides evenly.

Heat the oil or clarified butter in a pan over medium-high heat and brown the lamb pieces in batches until golden on the outside, then set aside. This step builds flavor but can be skipped for a more traditional, rustic preparation.

Divide or layer the onions, garlic, and tomatoes into the pot or pots as a base, then nestle the browned lamb pieces on top.

Add the potatoes, chickpeas, and whole green chillies around the lamb. Pour in the water or stock — the liquid should come no more than halfway up the ingredients, as the tomatoes and meat will release their own juices during cooking.

Seal the pot tightly with a lid or, traditionally, a layer of dough pressed around the rim to trap all steam inside. If using a casserole dish, cover firmly with foil and then the lid.

Place in the oven and cook slowly for 2 to 2½ hours, until the lamb is completely tender and falling from the bone and the potatoes are soft throughout.

Serve the stew directly in the cooking pot at the table, accompanied by fresh Afghan flatbread (naan) for scooping and dipping.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Chainaki is associated with traditional Afghan home cooking and teahouse (chai khana) culture, where individual clay pots have long been used as both the cooking vessel and the serving vessel. The dish is especially popular in colder months and is found throughout Afghanistan, with similar pot-based stews appearing across Central and South Asian culinary traditions. The name itself reflects the connection to the chai khana setting where such dishes have historically been served.

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