Chettinad Pepper Chicken Curry/ Milagu Kozhi Kulambu

Chicken marinade ingredients

Chicken pieces- 500 gms( 1 pound)

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Red chili powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Gravy/ Curry ingredients

Onion large chopped- 1

Tomato large chopped- 1

Garlic cloves chopped- 5

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Salt to taste

Oil- 5 tbsp

Kulambu( kuzhambu) thool- 2 tbsp*<--- click here for Kulambu thool recipe.

*( If you don't have Kulambu thool add 1 tsp red chili powder and 3 tbsp coriander( dhaniya) powder)

Pepper masala powder ingredients

( grind below ingredients to powder)

Black peppercorns- 2 tsp

Sombu/ Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp

Cinnamon stick- 1"

Method

Marinade chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder and lemon juice for atleast 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot add chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves. Sauté onions until it turns brown, now add the marinated chicken to the onion and fry till the chicken pieces turn white in color. Next add the tomatoes, ground masala powder and Kulambu thool and fry for few seconds. Add enough water to the chicken for the gravy and season with salt. Cover the pan with lid and bring the gravy to boil. Cook the pepper chicken curry on medium heat until the chicken pieces are cooked and tender and gravy is thick.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot chettinad pepper chicken curry with steamed rice or chapati.