Pepper Chicken

The Chettinad cuisine is one of South India's best known cuisines and popular all over the world. I just want to share few lines about the incredibly popular black pepper. It is known as the 'King of spice'. The peppercorn plant is native to south Indian state Kerala, from where it spread to rest of the world. Pepper is well known for it's medicinal properties.

I recommend not to use the pressure cooker for this recipe as we gradually add the ingredients. Try to use the home made crushed pepper corns as the store bought pepper powder does not give a nice aroma.

Cook Time : 45 mins, Serves : 3

Ingredients :
1/2 kg Chicken
2 Onions (Medium sized)
2 Tomatoes
2 teaspoons Ginger garlic paste
1 table spoon Chili powder
1 table spoon Coriander powder
2 table spoons Crushed pepper corns
1 table spoon Lemon juice

For seasoning :
Oil - 2 table spoons
Cinnamon-3 sticks
Cardamom-3
Clove-3
Bay leaf-
Fennel seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaf-little

Marination : (For 30 mins)
Chicken + 1 table spoon chili powder + 1 teaspoon turmeric powder + half the quantity of salt.

Method :
1. Pour 2 table spoon of oil and add the items given in ‘for seasoning’ one by one in the order given.
2. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry briefly. Add the finely chopped onion and saute it for some time. Now add the chopped tomatoes and little salt so that the tomatoes get cooked well.
3. Now add the coriander powder and mix well. Sprinkle some water. Reduce the flame to medium and close the pan.Let the masala get cooked for 5 minutes. Now you can see the cooked masala with oil on top. In this stage add the marinated chicken pieces. Saute nicely till the moisture in the chicken comes out. Now there should be enough water in the chicken to get cooked. Add the remaining salt needed.Close the pan; keep it in a medium flame and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Check that the chicken pieces are cooked well; if not, cook for some more time. Once they are cooked.
5. Add the crushed pepper on top and mix well. Add the lemon juice after switching the stove off. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note : Fry the pepper in oil for 2 mins before crushing it. It gives a good taste.

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