Chicken Pepper Varuval Recipe

Marinate chicken

In a bowl combine the chicken pieces with turmeric, salt (1 tsp) and ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and let it rest for 20–30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 2 hours).

Dry roast spices

Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add black peppercorns, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Dry roast for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and the peppercorns are glossy, shaking the pan frequently to avoid burning. Remove and let cool.

Grind spice mix

Once cool, coarsely crush or lightly grind the roasted mix using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to keep some texture. You want a coarse cracked-pepper blend rather than a fine powder. Set aside 1–1.5 tablespoons of this crushed mix for finishing; use the remainder in cooking.

Temper and sauté aromatics

Heat oil in a heavy skillet or kadai over medium-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add curry leaves and sauté briefly. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until translucent and edges start to brown (6–8 minutes). Add the slit green chilies, julienned ginger and sliced garlic; sauté 1–2 minutes until aromatic.

Add tomatoes and spices

Add chopped tomato to the skillet and cook until soft and oil begins to separate (4–5 minutes). Stir in red chili powder and coriander powder, cook 30 seconds. Add the coarsely ground pepper-coriander mix (reserve the finishing amount) and mix well so the spices coat the onion-tomato mixture.

Cook chicken

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the marinated chicken pieces and spread them out so they sear. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the chicken browns on the edges. Add salt to taste (if needed) and tamarind paste (or lemon juice). Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for another 6–8 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F) and the masala is thickened. If the pan becomes dry, sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons water and stir; the final texture should be slightly dry and coated with spices (varuval style).

Crisp and finish

Remove the lid and increase heat to high for 1–2 minutes to evaporate any excess moisture and get a slight crisp on the chicken. Sprinkle the reserved crushed black pepper and chopped coriander over the chicken, toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.

Serve hot as an appetizer: transfer to a serving platter, garnish with extra cracked black pepper and lemon wedges on the side. Best served immediately.