Pepper Chicken with Almonds

Exotic taste of Black pepper and Almond with chicken. Perfect for both bread and rice.

Ingredients

• Chicken 1/2 kg (with bones, cut into 1.5 - 2 inch pieces
• Lemon Juice 2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
• Onion 2 medium thinly sliced
• Ginger Paste 2 tbsp
• Garlic paste 3/4 tbsp
• Green chilli 4 nos chopped
• Pepper powder or crushed pepper 4 tbsp
• Almonds 1/2 cup soaked overnight and peeled.
• Cardamoms 4 nos
• Cinnamon 1 inch piece
• Cloves 5 nos
• Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
• Bay Leaves 2
• Oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish.

Method

Clean, cut and wash chicken. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place chicken in a bowl. Add the lemon juice salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder toss well making sure the chicken pieces are well coated. Allow to sit for about 1 hour.

Crush the whole spices to break them up . Do not powder them. 

Place a large heavy bottomed pan on the stove and add the crushed spices. Allow them to heat up until they get fragrant. Add the Oil. the oil will heat up as soon as the pan is already hot. Add the bay leaves and add the sliced onion and the pinch of salt. cook at medium to high heat until the onions soften and start to get light brown.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste and green chilli. Saute everything and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the coriander powder, garam masala and half of the pepper powder and saute for a minute.

Remove chicken from the marinade and add them to the pan. Add salt.

Save the marinade. Cook the chicken tossing them frequently so that they are in contact with the pan. the sides of the chicken should start browning in about 10 minutes and mix well with onion and all.

While the chicken browns, peel the almonds and make a paste with almonds, milk, and the saved marinade.

Once the chicken is browned, add the almond puree and nutmeg to the pan, stir well for it to combine well with the content in the pan. Add 2 to 3 cups of warm water to the pan lower the heat and cover it. Allow it to cook until the chicken softens and oil starts come up and leave the sides of the pan.

Add the remaining pepper powder and combine well.  Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and tomatoes.

Serve hot with Nan, Roti or steamed basmathi Rice.