Pepper Chicken (Kozhambhu)Curry

Pepper Chicken curry is another important dish from Tamilnadu cuisine. This is a good remedy for cold, since we are adding pepper to the curry.

I am sending this recipe for :

Chicken contest of the month - June'08 conducted by Vandana
&
Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets - A food event conducted by Ivy & Ben .

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1/2 kg
Onions - 2, medium sized
Tomato - 2, medium sized
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon
Pepper - 1.5 tablespoons (add 2 tablespoons for more spicy)
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies - 3
Garlic - 4 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch long
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
Cloves - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 2-3 tablespoon
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - few
Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - few
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut chicken into small pieces, wash them throughly and marinate with a pinch of turmeric powder and curd for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pan, fry cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, pepper for 5 minutes and keep aside. Add one tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add green chillies, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, sliced onions one after another and fry until onions turn golden colour. Once it is done, remove from heat and allow it cool.

Once they are cool, grind all the fried spices and onions to a thick gravy with little water.

In a pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once it is hot, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, curry leaves for a minute. Add the grinded paste and fry for 5 minutes. once it is done, add finely chopped tomatoes and fry until they become soft.

Add the marinated chicken pieces, 1 cup of water and cook it covered until chicken is soft. Add salt to taste and coconut milk and bring it to a boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi. Tasty pepper chicken curry is ready!!!


Cooking time - 45-60 minutes
Serves 4-5 persons