INDIA
Andhra Pepper Chicken
The story
Pepper chicken is a staple in most restaurants in India and every region has its own version. This is a popular dish in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in South India, the largest producer of red chillies in the country, which has a major influence on its cuisine. This version is dry and pairs perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice or is relished as an appetizer. If you prefer a gravy, follow the modification at the bottom of the recipe. It is a spice forward dish and you can reduce the pepper to suit your tolerance. Spice level: with a medium tolerance for pepper, use a total of 1 1/2 tablespoons, taste at the end and add additional crushed pepper if desired.
Ingredients
For marination:
Chicken 1 lb, chopped, skinless and bone in
Ginger 1 inch, ground up with the garlic
Peeled garlic 10 cloves
Lemon juice from 1 lemon (reserve a teaspoon for garnish)
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
For the pepper chicken:
Olive oil 2 tablespoons
Cinnamon 1/2 stick
Onion 2 medium, thinly sliced
Garlic 5 cloves, finely minced
Ginger 1 inch, finely minced or ground
Green chillies 4, slit lengthwise
Curry leaves 4 sprigs, roughly torn
Black peppercorns 2 1/2 tablespoons, coarsely pounded
Coriander powder 2 teaspoons
Salt as needed
To garnish:
Coriander leaves 2 tablespoons, chopped
Black peppercorns 2 teaspoons, coarsely pounded
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
Method
01
Marinate the chicken: in a large bowl add the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, turmeric and salt to the chicken, mix really well, cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
02
Prep the ingredients: bring the chicken out to room temperature and chop, mince, slice, slit, tear and pound everything else.
03
Heat a large wok or saute pan with a tablespoon of oil. When it shimmers add the torn curry leaves and let them splutter. Add the cinnamon, thinly sliced onions and slit green chillies and saute on medium flame until the onions turn golden.
04
Add the marinated chicken and stir until it turns white outside. Add the pounded pepper, coriander powder and salt. Add half a cup of water, cover and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Continue cooking uncovered until the water evaporates.
05
Add a tablespoon of olive oil and stir in. Keep adding a tablespoon of water as needed until the chicken is fully cooked and soft.
06
Garnish: add crushed pepper, chopped cilantro and lemon juice at the end. Serve piping hot with steamed basmati rice or rotis.
Modifications
For pepper chicken gravy instead of the dry version, add an additional cup of water in step 4 and cook until the chicken is soft all the way through; skip step 5.