Chettinad Pepper Chicken

Generally my chicken dishes don’t turn out to taste very good but that has never kept me from trying new recipes. Yesterday I tried a different variation in chicken cooking and to my pleasant surprise came out very well. So I wanted to share the recipe. This time around, I was able to take a picture of my dish.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1.5 lbs (get wings or drumsticks) Cleaned and cut into pieces

Whole garam masala (Cinnamon sticks: 5 inches, cloves: 4, Cardamom:2)

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds: 2 tsp

Onion (big): 1 finely chopped

Tomatoes: 2  finely chopped

Ginger Garlic paste: 3 tbsp (freshly ground paste gives the best taste)

Green chillies: 3 finely chopped

Ginger: 2 tsp (finely diced)

Curry leaves: 1 bunch

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder: 2 tsp

Coriander Powder: 3 tsp

Cumin Powder: 1 tsp

Black Pepper corns: 3 tsp (coarsely crushed)

Salt to taste

Oil: 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add fennel seeds and let them splutter. Add finely chopped onions and sauté till they become golden brown. Make sure they turn golden brown only then they will become into a silky gravy upon cooking.

2. Add turmeric powder and Ginger Garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes off. Then add 1 tsp of diced ginger, curry leaves and chopped green chillies.

3. Add tomatoes and sauté on medium flame until they are thoroughly mashed and oil oozes out of the gravy. Cook for another minute or two, then add the chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well and cook till the raw smell disappears.

4. Add chicken pieces. DO NOT add water. Chicken will ooze out water and the chicken has to cook in that. Cover and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn’t burn.

5. Check if chicken is cooked well, else add 1/4 cup of boiling water and cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add enough boiling water to make the gravy to desired consistency and allow to boil for about 3 minutes.

6. Add the rest of diced ginger and crushed pepper corns and cook for about 1 minute. Switch the flame off and cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

This dish goes well with all Indian Rotis and Rice.

Do try the recipe and tell me how it came out!