Fiery black pepper chicken
This is adapted from Steve Parle and Emma Grazette's book, Spice Trip (Random House, ISBN 978-0-224-09572-3)
INGREDIENTS
1 x 1.6kg whole chicken, skinned and jointed, or 8 chicken thighs, skinned
4 tablespoons freshly cracked Tellicherry or Kampot black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
Juice of a lemon
Pinch of salt, plus ½ tsp
3 onions, half thinly sliced and half roughly chopped
1 garlic bulb, crushed
3cm piece ginger, finely chopped or grated
Olive oil, for frying
300ml chicken stock
METHOD
1. Put the chicken in a large dish. In a small bowl, combine a quarter of the black pepper, the turmeric, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then rub all over the chicken and leave to marinate, covered, for a few hours.
2. Blend the roughly chopped onions with the garlic and ginger to make a paste.
3. Toast the remaining pepper in a hot, dry pan until there’s a delicious nutty, toasty scent and the pepper begins to smoke. Shake the pan so the pepper doesn’t burn.
4. Heat a good glug of oil in a heavy-based frying pan (one with a lid) and fry the sliced onions until they turn soft and golden. Add the onion paste and continue frying until all the liquid has evaporated and the onion is starting to brown.
5. Add the toasted pepper (reserve a generous pinch for later) and the chicken including all the marinade juices, the stock and ½ tsp salt.
6. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through – add a splash of water if the curry gets too thick.
7. Serve the curry sprinkled with the reserved toasted black pepper, alongside some boiled rice, warmed chapattis and the salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 x 1.6kg whole chicken, skinned and jointed, or 8 chicken thighs, skinned
4 tablespoons freshly cracked Tellicherry or Kampot black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
Juice of a lemon
Pinch of salt, plus ½ tsp
3 onions, half thinly sliced and half roughly chopped
1 garlic bulb, crushed
3cm piece ginger, finely chopped or grated
Olive oil, for frying
300ml chicken stock
METHOD
1. Put the chicken in a large dish. In a small bowl, combine a quarter of the black pepper, the turmeric, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then rub all over the chicken and leave to marinate, covered, for a few hours.
2. Blend the roughly chopped onions with the garlic and ginger to make a paste.
3. Toast the remaining pepper in a hot, dry pan until there’s a delicious nutty, toasty scent and the pepper begins to smoke. Shake the pan so the pepper doesn’t burn.
4. Heat a good glug of oil in a heavy-based frying pan (one with a lid) and fry the sliced onions until they turn soft and golden. Add the onion paste and continue frying until all the liquid has evaporated and the onion is starting to brown.
5. Add the toasted pepper (reserve a generous pinch for later) and the chicken including all the marinade juices, the stock and ½ tsp salt.
6. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through – add a splash of water if the curry gets too thick.
7. Serve the curry sprinkled with the reserved toasted black pepper, alongside some boiled rice, warmed chapattis and the salad.
