Kerala Style Pepper Chicken Curry (Kurumulaku Chicken)

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1. Chicken, bone-in – 1 – 1.25 kg, cut into medium pieces

2. Coconut oil – 3 tbsp

3. Onion – 3.5 cups, thinly sliced

    Ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp

    Green chilly – 1, slit

    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

4. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

    Coriander powder – 1.5 tbsp

    Garam masala powder – 1 tbsp (Recipe below)

    Pepper powder – 1 – 1.5 tbsp (Adjust according to your spice tolerance)

    Nirapara mutton masala powder / Eastern meat masala powder – 3/4 tbsp

5. Hot water – 3/4 cup

    Thick coconut milk – 1/3 cup

6. Curry leaves – A few

7. Salt – To taste

Method

Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan at medium-high heat. Add sliced onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chilly, curry leaves and little salt. Saute for 10 – 15 minutes until onion turns brown (take care not to burn them). Bring down the heat to low. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder. Stir for a few seconds and then add chicken pieces. Mix well and cook for a minute. Add 1/2 cup hot water, enough salt and bring to a boil at medium heat. Cook covered for 30 – 35 mts stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are almost done. Add thick coconut milk and few curry leaves. Mix well. Taste-check for salt. Cook for another 5 – 7 minutes until the gravy turns dark and thick. Switch off. Serve this super-yummy pepper chicken curry with chapathi/ porotta/ appam.

Recipe for Garam Masala (Yield – Around 3 tbsp)

1. Fennel Seeds (Perumjeerakam) –  2 tbsp
2. Cloves (Grambu) – 12
3. Cinnamon stick (Karuvapatta) – 1 inch
4. Cardamom (Elaikka) –  5
5. Star anise (Thakkolam) – 2 small 
6. Whole pepper (Kurumulaku) -15
7. Poppy seeds (Kus Kus) – 1 tsp (optional)

Grind the above ingredients for garam masala to a fine powder. You need only 1 tbsp garam masala powder for this recipe. Store the remaining in an airtight container to use later.

Recipe Courtesy – Cijo Thomas