Pepper Chicken Roast

Pepper chicken roast is a delicious side with chicken coated with freshly ground pepper spice powder along with caramelized onions and crispy coconut slices. Best served with steamed rice and rasam or with roti or naan.

 

 

Ingredients

To Cook Chicken

• 500 Grams Chicken cut into small cubes
• 1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
• 4 Shallots crushed
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger piece chopped finely
• 5 large garlic cloves crushed and then chopped finely
• 1 Tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 Teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 Cup water
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt

To dry roast and grind

• 1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon khus khus / poppy seeds
• 1 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 Teaspoon fenugreek seeds 

For the pepper masala

• 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 Cup fresh coconut slices
• 1 Large onion chopped roughly into big pieces
• 2 Sprigs of curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash and clean chicken pieces and set aside
2. In a pan , heat 1/2 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add chopped ginger, garlic, crushed shallots and fry for a minute until shallots are soft and pink
3. Then add chicken pieces and fry them on high flame for 5 minutes stirring intermittently
4. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder , salt and mix everything
5. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and cook the chicken for 15 minutes until all the water evaporates and chicken is almost cooked through
6. Alternatively, you can follow steps number 2 to 5 in a pressure pan / pressure cooker and cook the chicken on medium flame in pressure cooker for 4 whistles
7. In a separate pan, dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'to dry roast' in low flame until you smell nice aroma of coriander seeds and fenugreek. It took less than 2 minutes for me to dry roast
8. Add the dry roasted spices in a food processor and grind it to coarse powder. Do not add water
9. Now prepare the masala : In a pan, heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add curry leaves
10. When they splutter, add thinly sliced coconut and fry until the coconut is light golden and crispy
11. Add onions and fry until onions are soft
12. Then add the ground spice mix we prepared at step number 8 and fry for 2 to 3 minutes in oil
13. Finally add the precooked chicken we have from step number 5 and mix everything together
14. Season with salt
15. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti / naan