Ultimate Black Pepper Chicken
This is one of my favorite dishes. It's got a really nice blend of spices that tend to roll around your tongue from one into the other. It does take a bit of time to make, but is well worth it. Sorry I don't have any pics. Although it's probably not hot for most of the chili freaks here, you could add some hot sauce or even dice up a pepper or two to increase the intensity.
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12 - Skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (I prefer boneless - no mess, just cut it up and eat!)
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 TBSP black peppercorns, coarsely ground
3 TBSP minced peeled ginger-root, divided
2 TBSP minced garlic, divided
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (I use lime)
3 1/2 tsp salt or to taste, divided (I don't use the salt because of high blood pressure)
2 TBSP oil (olive oil, or your choice)
2 Cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. garam masala**
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1. Rinse chicken and pat dry
2. In a large non-reactive bowl, stir together yogurt, cornstarch, peppercorns, 1 1/2 TBSP of the ginger, 1 1/2 TBSP of the garlic, lime juice and 1 1/2 tsp of the salt. Add chicken and coat all the pieces well. Cover and marinate for 30 min. at room temperature.
3. In a saucepan (a heavy Wok is fantastic because it keeps the chicken steeped in masala), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute' until golden, 8-10 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic and saute' until onions are brown, 8-10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, 2 tsp of salt, and chicken with marinade. Saute' until masala (the spicy liquid created from cooking, including the marinade) turns darker, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil (I found that adding any amount of water makes the dish too runny so I leave this out).
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer (I only cover for about 10-15 minutes, but it depends on how thick you want the masala), stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside, 35-40 minutes. Stir in garam masala**. There should be a thick gravy when chicken is ready. If too dry, add 1/2 cup of hot water to return to a coating consistency. Serve with rice or Naan bread. I usually do both because I love the taste of Tandori Naan.
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** Garam Masala (translates to 'warm mixture') is a blend of aromatic spices and is a North Indian mixture. If you can't find packaged garam masala in the store, let me know and I can post the recipe.
This is one of my favorite dishes. It's got a really nice blend of spices that tend to roll around your tongue from one into the other. It does take a bit of time to make, but is well worth it. Sorry I don't have any pics. Although it's probably not hot for most of the chili freaks here, you could add some hot sauce or even dice up a pepper or two to increase the intensity.
------------
12 - Skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (I prefer boneless - no mess, just cut it up and eat!)
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 TBSP black peppercorns, coarsely ground
3 TBSP minced peeled ginger-root, divided
2 TBSP minced garlic, divided
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (I use lime)
3 1/2 tsp salt or to taste, divided (I don't use the salt because of high blood pressure)
2 TBSP oil (olive oil, or your choice)
2 Cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. garam masala**
------------
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry
2. In a large non-reactive bowl, stir together yogurt, cornstarch, peppercorns, 1 1/2 TBSP of the ginger, 1 1/2 TBSP of the garlic, lime juice and 1 1/2 tsp of the salt. Add chicken and coat all the pieces well. Cover and marinate for 30 min. at room temperature.
3. In a saucepan (a heavy Wok is fantastic because it keeps the chicken steeped in masala), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute' until golden, 8-10 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic and saute' until onions are brown, 8-10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, 2 tsp of salt, and chicken with marinade. Saute' until masala (the spicy liquid created from cooking, including the marinade) turns darker, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil (I found that adding any amount of water makes the dish too runny so I leave this out).
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer (I only cover for about 10-15 minutes, but it depends on how thick you want the masala), stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink inside, 35-40 minutes. Stir in garam masala**. There should be a thick gravy when chicken is ready. If too dry, add 1/2 cup of hot water to return to a coating consistency. Serve with rice or Naan bread. I usually do both because I love the taste of Tandori Naan.
-----
** Garam Masala (translates to 'warm mixture') is a blend of aromatic spices and is a North Indian mixture. If you can't find packaged garam masala in the store, let me know and I can post the recipe.
