Nisa Homey is a lawyer by profession, now a full…
Pepper chicken, also known as kurumulaku chicken, is a deliciously fiery dry roast chicken dish from the Kerala region of India. Adjust spice level as needed. Glass of milk not included.
Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, boasts nearly 600 km of Arabian Sea shoreline. It’s famous for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters, a network of canals. Kerala cuisine offers an abundance of both delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, prepared using fish, poultry, and red meat, typically accompanied by rice.
This pepper chicken, or kurumulaku chicken, is an easy and quick Kerala-style dry roast chicken dish. It is traditionally served spicy, but you can definitely adjust the spice level to suit your taste. You can use both bone-in or boneless chicken for this dish, but my personal preference is bone-in thighs.
What is a Kadai?
A kadai (also spelled kadhai or karahi) is a traditional Indian cooking pot, similar to a wok but with steeper sides and a flat bottom. It is typically made from cast iron, stainless steel, or aluminum. The design of the kadai allows for even heat distribution and retention, making it ideal for deep-frying, sautéing, and dry roasting. The steep sides help in containing splatters, and the flat bottom ensures that food cooks evenly.
I started using my old iron kadai because, although they are heavy, I found that food cooks faster and onions brown more quickly in an iron kadai. Roasting meat, especially this chicken, was so fast that I think I’ll use my old battered iron kadai more often. If your mom or grandma has one, dust it off and give it a try!
If you don’t have a kadai, a cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan can be used as alternatives. These options offer similar heat retention and distribution properties, making them suitable for Indian recipes that require high heat and thorough cooking.
About the Spices in This Recipe
When it comes to spices, Kerala pepper chicken typically uses a blend of fresh ground black pepper, fennel seeds, and garam masala. If you don’t have all the spices on hand, you can make some substitutions. For instance, if you don’t have Kashmiri chili powder, you can use regular chili powder or paprika, keeping in mind that these may alter the heat level and flavor slightly. If you can’t find coconut vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can be used as substitutes. While fresh curry leaves add a distinct flavor to the dish, dried curry leaves or a bay leaf can be used if fresh ones are unavailable. Adjust the spices to your taste and availability, and you’ll still achieve a deliciously flavorful dish.
How to Make Kurumulaku – Kerala Style Pepper Chicken
Marinating the Chicken
- Prepare the Marinade:
- In a bowl, combine lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Marinate the Chicken:
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Spice Mix
- Grind the Spices:
- Coarsely grind the whole black peppercorns and fennel seeds using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
Cooking the Base
- Heat the Pan:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in an iron kadai (or cast iron skillet) over medium heat.
- Sauté Onions and Chilies:
- Add the sliced onions and slit green chilies to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn light brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Ginger and Garlic:
- Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add Dry Spices:
- Add Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mix well and sauté for another minute.
- Season to Taste:
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Cooking the Chicken
- Add Chicken and Vinegar:
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan and mix well. Pour in the coconut vinegar.
- Cook the Chicken:
- Cover and cook the chicken until it is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. If there is excess water, increase the heat to high to evaporate it.
- Add Ground Spices:
- Once the chicken is cooked and the water has evaporated, add the coarsely ground pepper and fennel mixture. Mix well.
- Dry Roast:
- Continue to cook on low flame for another 5 minutes or until the chicken turns a blackish-brown color. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Finishing Touches
- Add Curry Leaves:
- Sprinkle the curry leaves over the chicken and give it a final stir.
- Serve:
- Serve the Kerala Style Pepper Chicken hot with rice.
Recipe Notes
- Adjusting Pepper Heat: If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of whole black peppercorns by half.
- Vinegar Substitute: If coconut vinegar is unavailable, you can use one tomato as a substitute.
- Pan Choice: An iron kadai or cast iron skillet is ideal for this recipe. However, a non-stick or aluminum pan can also be used.
- Curry Leaves: Adding curry leaves at the end enhances the flavor.
Kurumulaku – Kerala Style Pepper Chicken
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.8 from 15 reviews
- Author: Nisa Homey
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings
Description
Pepper chicken also known as kurumulaku chicken is an easy and quick Kerala style chicken dry roast. Adjust the spice to your taste.
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: 1.65 pounds (750 grams)
- Onion: 2, sliced
- Green chilies: 2, slit
- Ginger: 1.5 inches (3.8 cm), finely chopped
- Garlic: 1 pod, finely chopped
- Kashmiri chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams)
- Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams)
- Garam masala: 1 teaspoon (5 grams)
- Coconut vinegar: 1 tablespoon (15 ml)
- Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon (5 grams), divided
- Pepper powder: 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams)
- Whole black peppercorns: 2 tablespoons (30 grams)
- Fennel seeds: 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams)
- Coconut oil: 3 tablespoons (45 ml)
- Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
- Salt: 3/4 teaspoon (3.75 grams)
- Lemon juice: Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- Prepare the Marinade:
- In a bowl, combine lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Marinate the Chicken:
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Spice Mix
- Grind the Spices:
- Coarsely grind the whole black peppercorns and fennel seeds using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
Cooking the Base
- Heat the Pan:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in an iron kadai (or cast iron skillet) over medium heat.
- Sauté Onions and Chilies:
- Add the sliced onions and slit green chilies to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn light brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Ginger and Garlic:
- Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add Dry Spices:
- Add Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mix well and sauté for another minute.
- Season to Taste:
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Cooking the Chicken
- Add Chicken and Vinegar:
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan and mix well. Pour in the coconut vinegar.
- Cook the Chicken:
- Cover and cook the chicken until it is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. If there is excess water, increase the heat to high to evaporate it.
- Add Ground Spices:
- Once the chicken is cooked and the water has evaporated, add the coarsely ground pepper and fennel mixture. Mix well.
- Dry Roast:
- Continue to cook on low flame for another 5 minutes or until the chicken turns a blackish-brown color. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Finishing Touches
- Add Curry Leaves:
- Sprinkle the curry leaves over the chicken and give it a final stir.
- Serve:
- Serve the Kerala Style Pepper Chicken hot with rice.
Notes
- Adjusting Pepper Heat: If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of whole black peppercorns by half.
- Vinegar Substitute: If coconut vinegar is unavailable, you can use one tomato as a substitute.
- Pan Choice: An iron kadai or cast iron skillet is ideal for this recipe. However, a non-stick or aluminum pan can also be used.
- Curry Leaves: Adding curry leaves at the end enhances the flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main
- Method: Stir Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 170g
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Nisa Homey is a lawyer by profession, now a full time stay-at-home mom. Cooking is Nisa's passion but blogging about food just happened. Nisa loves cooking for her family and kids, and her focus is to let everyone know just how easy cooking can actually be.
Truly honest
Superb…
Tried and it was very good.
The recipe was detailed and delicious!
Lovely dish
Nice recipe
Looks yummy…excellent recipe …
I made this dish twice so far and everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
I have tried this recipe many times…
My family loves this easy to cook recipe.. Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Super tasty..me and my family enjoyed it..thanks for the recipe.And briefly explained everything made it easy.
Great recipe.
Excellent just excellent
Very good recipe
Superb. Came out very well
Hi,
Thank u for the recipe! Tried it, turned out great!!
I used normal vinegar and coconut milk instead of coconut vinegar, which i don’t have.
Scaled up the garam masala, corriander and chilli pwd.
Very tasty.
Tried this. Turned out well
Fantastic recipe, perfect every time.
tried it with shrimp this time, came out really well.
This recipe came out very tasty… thank you
Delicious!
This was so good, perfectly spiced, crispy, oh dear!!
Love this Indian chicken, great spicy recipe!