Pepper Chicken Masala

Yesterday, when it was time to cook dinner I was going through the contents of my fridge to find out what I could cook. As Cape Town is a place where not much of Indian vegetables are available, it is a daily hassle for Indian wives like me to bring up those beautiful smiles when food is served. My regular phrase is "Curry is a constant worry". Now going back to my fridge contents, I found a small chicken. The regular chicken curry is not exciting anymore so armed with Lekshmi Nair's Magic Oven Recipe book I started cooking Pepper Chicken Masala. It is a fairly easy and good recipe.

Ingredients:

1. 1 small chicken (cut into small pieces)
2. 1 onion cut into big pieces
3. 2 tomatoes (blend to a smooth paste)
4. 2 inch ginger
5. 6 cloves of garlic
6. 1tsp. chilli powder
7. 1 tsp. coriander powder
8. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
9. 2 tblsp. black pepper
10. 1 piece cinnamon
11. 5 cloves
12. salt to taste
13. 3 tblsp. butter or oil
14. a few curry leaves (optional)
15. 1/2 cup dhaniya leaves (coriander leaves)

Method:

• Grind onions, ginger, garlic, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and 1 tblsp. black pepper into a fine paste.
• Marinate the cut chicken pieces with this mix for approximately 1 hour.
• Cook the chicken pieces until it is 3/4 th done and the water has all evaporated. The masala must have covered the chicken by now. Keep it aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil or butter and put in cinnamon stick, cloves, and curry leaves.
• In this put one tablespoon ground pepper (it should be medium ground) and heat until it gives out a fried smell. Now add the tomato paste.
• When all the water has evaporated from the tomato and oil starts bubbling add the 3/4 done chicken and cook until properly done.
• Garnish with coriander leave and serve it with rice or rotis.

Source: Magic Oven Recipes by Lekshmi Nair