The Butler's Table

Indian Chicken Curry With Garlic And Black Pepper

South Indian-style chicken thigh curry with toasted pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, coconut milk, garlic, and ginger.

Indian Indian Gluten-free GF with swap Chicken Chicken Pan Pan Hob Hob Rice Rice Bread Bread Main Main

Ingredients

Method

  1. Toast and grind the spices

    Dry-toast the black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds in a pan until fragrant. Cool, then grind coarsely in a spice grinder or crush in a mortar.

  2. Make the marinade

    Mix the ground spices with 1 tablespoon coconut oil, the grated turmeric, and juice from half the lemon to make a paste.

  3. Marinate the chicken

    Coat the diced chicken thighs in the marinade. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

  4. Soften the aromatics

    Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions, crushed garlic, and grated ginger, then cook gently for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, until softened and just starting to turn golden.

  5. Fry the chicken

    Increase the heat. Add the chicken with all its marinade, season with salt, and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

  6. Simmer the curry

    Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Simmer for another 10 minutes to 15 minutes if you want a thicker sauce.

  7. Finish and serve

    Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining lemon juice, and scatter with chopped fresh coriander. Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.

Notes

The source gives 2 to 3 tablespoons black peppercorns, so use less if you want a milder curry. Ground dried turmeric can replace the fresh turmeric; use about 1 tablespoon.