Tamil Nadu Style Pepper Chicken Curry with homemade spice blend of peppercorns, cumin,poppy seeds and chillies- from the East coast of India.This curry can be made in Instant Pot,Pressure Cooker and Stove top.
Even though I cook a lot of Indian food I don’t post as many recipes as I would like on the blog.It’s probably because most times ,I cook by taste.Add spices,some yogurt, some lentils,some onion..taste here..taste there..adjust..change..it’s mostly recipe less.
That’s why it’s always difficult to write about indian cuisine but recently I have come across some amazing bloggers and food writers who have inspired me to embrace my everyday Indian cooking and share it with my readers here.I have also started reading a lot more about Indian cooking and truth be told it’s daunting because of it’s sheer vastness.
Though I have shared some Indian recipes before I am going to consolidate all of them under one category for easy reference.
Tamil Nadu Style Pepper Chicken Curry
Taste wise this curry is rich with thick spicy dark gravy.If you do not enjoy spicy food, tone down the chillies by omitting the red chillies and green fresh chilli but don’t skip the black pepper.
Spices used in making Pepper Chicken Curry
There are a lot of ready made spice mixes available in the market and I have tried my share of it but I have realised I prefer keeping the basic whole spices in my pantry and playing around with them instead of using readymade mixes for two reason 1. You can’t replicate it 2. For the life of me I cant keep track of them in my kitchen!
How to Buy Chicken for Curries
In India we are fortunate to have moved away from those open, everything on display sort of shops to easy online options and uber clean supermarkets with token systems.Its never been easier to buy meat.Some online retailers like FreshtoHome give you options of how you want it cleaned, cut etc but I understand that can be daunting to first time cooks.
The fact that I can request any cut I want, at a time I want and without lifting a finger(figuratively obviously!) has sold me on buying my nonveg produce online- Freshtohome ,Liscious and Bigbasket are my all-time favourites, in that order. I usually order for the week-divide and freeze whatever I don’t need immediately and use as and when.
Ask for curry cut with Skin for a rich gravy.If you are on a diet or watching the fat intake as for medium curry cut skinless.
How to eat Tamil Pepper Chicken Curry
Usually South Indian Chicken curries work best with dosas or the white lachhe parathas also called parotta in South india.That said, the first day I serve this with plain rice and the next day when there is very little gravy left I serve it with Khichadi.
The Instant Pot & Traditional Pressure Cooker
The Pepper Chicken can be cooked in pressure cooker too though the gravy tends to be thinner and less intense.Follow the same steps till the step number 10 in the cooking method and pressure cook on high for 3 whistles.
If the gravy is thin-Let the chicken cook without the lid on high.
How to Cook Pepper Chicken in Instant Pot
Time needed: 26 minutes.
Pepper Chicken in Instant Pot
- Marinate the chicken with turmeric,Salt and Ginger Garlic paste for 15 minutes to 12 hours.
Meanwhile, in a spice blender, blend all the dry masalas and keep aside.
- Switch On the Instant Pot on Saute mode.
Once the pot is hot, Add curry leaves & onions and sauté till the onions start turning golden brown.around 10-12 minutes.
- Add the chilli and Tomatoes the dry masala blend.
Saute for 1 minute.
- Add 1/2 cup water & deglaze the pan.
Add the Chicken next,salt to taste(around 1 tsbp) ,deglaze and scrape the bottom of the inner pot completely.
- PRESSURE COOK
Select Pressure Cook/Manual on HIGH for 15 minutes.Let the pressure release for 10 minutes,afterwhich quick release.
- Open the Pot
After the pin drops(pressure releases)Open the Pot, give everything a mix.
- Reduce the Gravy(Optional)
If you want to reduce the gravy at this stage, Saute for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish
Garnish with coriander leaves
Also Check out some of my other Chicken Curries on the blog-
Easy Creamy Methi Chicken
Mangalorean Ghee Roast Chicken
Chicken Keema
Chicken Korma
Easy Cream Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- 800 Gms Chicken**
- 3 Medium Onions-Chopped
- 3 Medium Tomatoes-Chopped
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 Green Chilli-Slit
- 10 Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Salt to Taste
Dry Masala
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 2 tsp Peppercorns
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Red Chillies
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Fennel saunf
- 3 Cloves
- 1 tsp white poppy seeds Khas Khas
Instructions
Stove Top Method
- Marinate the chicken with turmeric,Salt and Ginger Garlic paste for 15 minutes to 12 hours.
- In a spice blender, blend all the dry masalas and keep aside.
- In a deep pan,Heat the oil.
- Add the onions and sauté till they start turning golden brown.10-15 minutes.
- Add the chilli and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add the Tomatoes and cook until they start disintegrating.About 10 minutes.You can squash the tomatoes to speed up the process.
- Add the dry masala blend.Saute for 1 minute.
- Add the Chicken next and mix well with the onion tomato roast.Turn the pieces Skin side down to enable caramelisation.Do not move for about 4-5 minutes.
- Turn to caramelise the other side.
- Add 1 cup water, salt to taste(around 1 tsbp) and cover.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes covered on medium heat till the oil comes on top.
Instant Pot Method
- Marinate the chicken with turmeric,Salt and Ginger Garlic paste for 15 minutes to 12 hours.Meanwhile, in a spice blender, blend all the dry masalas and keep aside
- Switch On the Instant Pot on Saute mode.Once the pot is hot, Add curry leaves & onions and sauté till the onions start turning golden brown.around 10-12 minutes.
- Add the chilli and Tomatoes the dry masala blend.
Saute for 1 minute. - Add 1/2 cup water & deglaze the pan.Add the Chicken next,salt to taste(around 1 tsbp) ,deglaze and scrape the bottom of the inner pot completely.
- Select Pressure Cook/Manual on HIGH for 15 minutes.Let the pressure release for 10 minutes,afterwhich quick release.
- After the pin drops(pressure releases)Open the Pot, give everything a mix.
- If you want to reduce the gravy at this stage, Saute for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Notes
For a richer Curry use with skin chicken and for a healthier version as for skin less chicken.
Here are some of my favourite Instant Pot Indian Curries.
Instant Pot Mushroom Masala
Instant Pot Chicken Korma
Instant Pot Everyday Chicken Curry
Instant Pot Channa Masala
Instant Pot Rajma
Do comment if you have a question