Chettinad Pepper Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg Chicken
• 2 Big onion (nicely chopped)
• 2 Tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 2 tbsp Crushed pepper corns
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

For seasoning
• 3 Cinnamon
• 3 Cardamom
• 3 Clove
• Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• few Curry leaf

Method:

• Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes with 1 table spoon chili powder mentioned in the ingredients, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and half the ginger garlic paste. Add half the quantity of salt required also during marinating.
• It is always better to cook this curry in a kadai than in pressure cooker as the ingredients are added in different stages of cooking.
• Pour 2 table spoon of cooking oil and add the items given in "For Seasoning" one by one in the order given.
• Now add the onion, chilies and tomato pieces. Saute for a while and then add the marinated chicken pieces. Saute everything well in medium fire for 2 minutes.
• First add the nicely minced onion and saute till oil separates.
• Then add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder. Stir well so that the pastes dont get burnt.
• Now add the tomato pieces and try to smash it using the ladle. The smaller the pieces easier it will be to get smashed fast.
• Now add the coriander powder and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water into the masala. Reduce the flame to medium. Close the kadai and let the masal get cooked for 5 minutes. Now you can see 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 will be enough water in the chicken to get cooked. Add the remaining salt needed also.
• Close the kadai now and in medium flame cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Check that the chicken pieces are cooked well, if not cook for some more time. Once the pieces are cooked add the crushed pepper corns on top and mix well.
• Add the lemon juice after switching off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves.