Pepper Chettinad Chicken

Pepper Chettinad Chicken

Recipe Details

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Ingredients

• Chicken – 2 lb, cut into small pieces
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Cardamom – 4 pods
• Cloves – 4
• Cinnamon – 4 small pieces
• Bay leaves – 4
• Onions – 2 large, chopped
• Turmeric powder – a small amount
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Green chilies – 5, chopped or slit
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Tomatoes – 4, chopped
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Water – up to 1/2 cup, optional for a gravy consistency
• Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup, chopped

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Preparation

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces, clean as needed, and pat dry.
2. Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander leaves.
3. Keep the whole spices and remaining ingredients ready before beginning to cook.

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Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed or non-stick pan over medium heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
3. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
4. Fry briefly until the whole spices become aromatic.
5. Add the chopped onions and a little salt.
6. Sauté until the onions become soft and golden brown.
7. Add the turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste.
8. Cook until the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic paste disappears.
9. Add the green chilies and curry leaves and fry briefly.
10. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder.
11. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes become soft and pulpy and the masala is well cooked.
12. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly so all the pieces are coated with the masala.
13. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. The chicken will begin to release moisture as it cooks.
14. Stir, cover again, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
15. If the mixture becomes too dry before the chicken is cooked, add a little water. For a gravy version, add up to 1/2 cup water as needed.
16. Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the freshly ground black pepper and chopped coriander leaves.
17. Mix well and cook briefly so the pepper aroma blends into the chicken.
18. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, then remove from the heat.

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Tips

Freshly Ground Pepper: Freshly crushed or ground black pepper gives this dish its characteristic aroma and sharp peppery flavor.

Adjust the Heat: With 5 green chilies, red chili powder, and 1 tablespoon black pepper, this can be quite spicy. Reduce the chilies or pepper according to your preference.

Dry or Gravy Style: For a dry Pepper Chicken, allow the natural chicken juices to reduce until the masala coats the pieces. For a little gravy, add up to 1/2 cup water while cooking.

Cook the Tomato Masala Well: Let the tomatoes soften completely before adding the chicken so the spices blend into a smooth, flavorful masala.

Chicken: Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender rather than relying only on a fixed cooking time.

Serving Suggestion

Serve Pepper Chettinad Chicken hot with chapati, naan, dosa, parotta, or steamed rice.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Vahrehvah.com.