Kerala Style Pepper Chicken

Kerala Style Pepper Chicken

This dry pepper roast chicken is an easy and quick Kerala style chicken dry roast. An aromatic dish, best cooked on iron kadai or cast iron skillet. The spiciness can be reduced a little to suit your taste.

Kerala is a state in the southwest region of India where the production of pepper and natural rubber contributes to a significant portion of the total national output.

 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala

 Ingredients

    •   750g bone-in-chicken, or chicken thigh fillets
    •   2 sliced onions 
    •   4-5 long green chillies, slit
    •   2 inch ginger, grated
    •   6 garlic cloves, crushed
    •   3/4 teaspoon Kashimiri chilli powder (or hot chilli powder)
    •   3/4 coriander powder 
    •   1 teaspoon garam masala
    •   1 tablespoon coconut vinegar or white vinegar or 1 tomato
    •   3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (to marinate the chicken)
    •   1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (for cooking)
    •   1/2 teaspoon pepper powder 
    •   2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
    •   1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
    •   3 tablespoon coconut oil
    •   3 sprigs curry leaves
    •   Salt to taste
    •   Juice of 1/2 lemon
 
Method (Serves 3 - 4)
1. Marinate the chicken for 10 minutes with lemon juice, 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Grind coarsely whole pepper and fennel seeds. A mortar and pestle can be used. Keep this aside.
2. Heat an iron kadai or cast iron skillet with coconut oil. Add in the sliced onions and green chilies. Saute on medium heat until light brown.
3. Add in the ginger and garlic, mix well for a couple of minutes. Add Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Mix well and add salt if needed.
4. Add in the marinated chicken. Mix well, add coconut vinegar (or white vinegar or 1 tomato), cover and cook. If there is moisture, leave the cover aside and allow it to evaporate on high heat.
5. Add the coarsely grinded pepper and fennel seeds. Mix well.
6. Sprinkle some curry leaves. Let the chicken dry roast on low flame for another 5-10 minutes or until it becomes deep brown in colour. Stir well, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the kadai/skillet.
7. Add the remaining curry leaves, give it a nice stir before serving with white rice.
Absolutely delicious!