Pepper Andhra Chicken

This is my food and recipe space. I'll use it to introduce interested readers to some kinds of Indian food -- not of the butter chicken variety -- infinitely more subtle and delicious that is commonly eaten in ordinary homes around the country everyday.

Today's recipe for instance is Pepper Andhra Chicken. A delicious very fragrant dish cooked in Andhra Pradesh, south India. Personally I love south indian food. The spices are used in delicate balance, sometimes quite a bit of fiery black pepper is used -- as in this dish. And a lot of fragrant curry leaves and dhani patta (coriander leaves) are used.

This recipe came from an old friend of my husband's parents: Mr and Mrs R. Mrs R, is the wife of a former Indian civil service officer. The Indian Civil services used to be a regimented, upright world of educated men and women who took their role as 'backbone of the nation' very seriously. Mr R often talks about the good old days when he solved labor problems in the coal mines of Bihar or dealt with a violent uprising in a southern Indian village singlehandedly. Those days, are of course fading fast. The Indian civil service is no longer what it used to be though it doesn't hurt to sit back and listen to the stories of these dedicated old-timers.

This couple, like most senior-level civil servants entertained on a largescale and continue to do so in their charming Hyderabad home. Mrs R's kitchen is a treasure trove of Andhra cuisine. She cooks her rasams and salans the way they have been traditionally cooked in this region: fiery hot, fragrant and delicious. This chicken recipe is a family favorite.


The recipe:

1 cut and cleaned smallish chicken (don't use boneless chicken as the bones add to the flavor of this dish)
one white onion diced
one or two medium tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
generous squeeze of lemon juice
1 tsp tumeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania)
a sprig of curry leaves
a sprig of coriander leaves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 inch stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1 small bay leaf (dried)
2 dried red chillies
generous sprinkling of coarsely ground black pepper
salt to taste


Put the chicken and first set of ingredients in a large pot. Mix together well, cover pot with a lid and leave to cook on a low flame. Don't add any water as the chicken, tomatoes and onion release quite a bit of water which is enough to cook the chicken. Check occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid in the pot.

When chicken has cooked through -- by this time the chopped onions and tomatoes will have melted down too -- remove from heat.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and and add the whole spices. When the black mustard starts spluttering (it splutters very quickly so be careful) add the chicken. Stir fry rapidly. Add salt to taste and lots of black pepper. There should be enough black pepper to give the chicken a nice darkish color. Turn down heat and stir fry a while, till the chicken is thoroughly coated in black pepper. Serve hot with steamed white rice.