Chicken Kalimirch or Black Pepper Chicken is a onion and cashew based gravy spicy gravy, with added hung curd which gives it a rich texture and creamy taste. Traditionally It is made by marinating the chicken and then cooking it until ifs half done in tandoor. But in this recipe as it’s cooked at home we will cook the chicken in oven and preserve the juices which will add more flavour to the gravy. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should give it a try. Add black pepper powder and honey according to the required spiciness and sweetness.
Ingredients
500 grams boneless chicken
1 large onion cut into large cubes
10-15 cashews
3-4 green chillies
2-3 cloves
2-3 cardamom
½ inch cinnamon stick
8-10 whole black pepper
½ cup hung yogurt
3 tbsp yogurt
1 teaspoon black pepper powder (add more if required)
3 tbsp Butter
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Honey as required
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Dash of lemon juice
Directions
The Mise-en-place
Cut onions into large cubes, cut green chillies, chicken into medium pieces. Marinate the chicken with yogurt (keep aside hung yogurt for later use), half the ginger garlic paste, salt, pepper powderand refrigerate for 5-6 hours.
In a small pot add 4 cups water, onion cubes, cashews and green chillies and simmer on medium flame until onions and cashews are fully done. (If cashews are not fully cooked, they wont blend into a fine paste). Blend into a fine paste.
The Curry
Set the oven on 400F. Line the tray with foil. Place the marinated chicken and cook until half done. Remove and set aside to rest.
In a pan place butter. When butter is hot add cloves, cardamon, cinnamon stick and whole peppercorns. Add in the onion and cashew paste, remaining ginger garlic paste and saute for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.
Now add chicken and fry on high heat for 10-12 minutes. Add hung yogurt mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add water depending on required consistency of the gravy and cook until chicken is fully cooked. Finish it off with dash of lemon juice, honey as required sweetness and pepper powder. Serve with Garlic Naan, Roti or Rice.
Mumbai-28 