Kerala Pepper Chicken (Kozhi Milagu Varuval)
A dry, intensely aromatic dish from Kerala, where freshly crushed whole white pepper brings a round, refined heat, lifted by curry leaves and garlic.
20 min
Preparation
25 min
Cooking
30 min
Rest
4
Servings
Intermediate
Difficulty
Ingredients
- Chicken fillets, cut into pieces: 600 g
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Whole white pepper, crushed in a mortar: 2 tablespoons
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Crushed black pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic cloves, chopped: 4
- Fresh ginger, grated: 2 cm
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Fresh curry leaves: 15
- Finely sliced onion: 1
- Green chillies, split lengthwise: 2
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Lakadong turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
- Coconut oil: 3 tablespoons
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
Instructions
-
1
The Marinade — Mix the chicken with the turmeric, lemon juice, half the garlic and ginger, and the salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
-
2
The Base — Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan. Sauté the sliced onion until translucent, then add the remaining garlic, ginger and curry leaves.
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3
Cooking the Chicken — Add the marinated chicken and brown it over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
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4
The Pepper — Lower the heat, stir in the crushed white and black pepper along with the green chillies. Simmer covered for 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the juices have almost entirely evaporated.
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5
Serving — Serve immediately, piping hot, with basmati rice or parathas.
Tips
Crush the pepper at the last moment in a mortar rather than grinding it: the coarse flecks release their heat gradually during cooking instead of burning all at once.
Spices used
Find the spices from this recipe in our shop.
Whole White Peppercorns
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Whole Malabar black pepper
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Lakadong Turmeric Powder
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Dried Curry Leaves from Uttarakhand
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