Pepper Chicken Recipe
Pepper chicken recipe - simple pepper chicken masala made with basic spices and herbs in south Indian style
Pepper chicken recipe - simple pepper chicken masala made with basic spices and herbs in south Indian style
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup chopped onions
- salt as needed
- 1 stick
- 3 cloves
- â¾ tsp ginger garlic paste or grated
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes (adjust if they are sour)
- 1 tsp pepper corn
- 1/4 tsp. red chili powder
- 3/4 tsp. garam masala powder
- 1 sprig curry leaves or bay leaf or few mint leaves
- 1/2 tsp cumin or shahi jeera
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 2 tbsp. oil (if not a low fat diet increase by another tbsp)
- 500 grams chicken (with bone or boneless)
- â¾ tsp ginger garlic paste or grated
- salt little
- Carbohydrate 4.69558889399973 g
- Cholesterol 80.9833333333333 mg
- Fat 30.6657290383907 g
- Fiber 1.06479056220699 g
- Protein 0.914280913409719 g
- Saturated Fat 19.3803904166542 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 4 (82g)
- Sodium 273.614041662398 mg
- Sugar 3.63079833179274 g
- Trans Fat 2.16588862178315 g
- Calories 290 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash chicken and drain off the water. marinate with ingredients under marination. Keep it aside until needed.
- Add oil to a hot pan, add cumin, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and allow them to sizzle.
- Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off.
- Add onions and fry till they turn golden.
- Add tomatoes and salt. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and soft.
- Add red chili powder, garam masala and coarsely crushed pepper corn.
- Fry everything well till the mixture looses all the moisture.
- Add chicken and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- cover and cook on a low flame till the chicken turns tender. If the chicken doesn't ooze out enough water to cook, then add little water. cover and cook. If you want to have gravy, switch off the stove.
- If you prefer a dry version, cook without lid and evaporate the moisture in the chicken. fry till all the moisture dries up.
- Serve pepper chicken hot with rice and rasam.
Should the pan be smoking hot before the whole spices hit the oil, or should they go in during the initial warm-up? Starting with hot oil allows the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, and green cardamoms to release their fat-soluble aromatic compounds instantly without scorching. Building this masala requires careful attention to moisture control, particularly when reducing the onions and tomatoes down to a paste before the meat enters the pan.
Strategic Pairings and Ingredient Dynamics
South Indian pepper chicken features intense heat and pungent spices that demand a cooling, acidic counterpart on the plate. Plain steamed white rice absorbs the robust pan drippings effectively, while a tart rasam cuts through the rich fat content derived from the oil and chicken skin. When selecting aromatics, freshly grated ginger and garlic provide a sharp, sulfurous bite that completely transforms the dish compared to pre-minced jarred alternatives. Similarly, crushing whole black peppercorns just moments before cooking yields volatile essential oils that stale pre-ground pepper simply cannot replicate.
- If the masala burns at the bottom before the onions turn golden, lower the heat and splash two tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan.
- Should the sauce remain too watery after the chicken is fully cooked, remove the lid entirely and increase the burner output to evaporate excess liquid within five minutes.
- When fresh curry leaves are unavailable, substitute a fresh bay leaf, though the distinct citrusy aroma will be noticeably milder.
