Aseymirus Kukulhu Riha (Black Pepper Chicken Curry)

There seem to be the same main spice mixture like chicken curry powder or roasted curry powder in Maldivian chicken curries, so I made black pepper the main ingredient for this curry. I myself just love strong pepper taste in my dishes. This curry is absolutely delicious and genuine for black pepper taste lovers. The chicken gets cooked while boiling in water that’s why no need to cook curry for long time and corn flour helps to make a thick rich gravy.

Ingredients:

900 grams Chicken legs skin removed or a whole Chicken skin removed and cut into pieces

Water

Salt

1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil

2 medium onions (sliced)

2 spring curry leafs

2 inch 5 piece Pandan leaf

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

½ tsp ginger paste

½ of Fresh Chilly (giteyomirus) or 3 green chilly (cut lengthwise from middle)

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika

21/2 tbs freshly ground black pepper

2 tbs tomato paste
11/2 cup Chicken stock (This is made when boiling the chicken in water, see step 2)

2 tsp corn flour

1/3 cup thick coconut milk

Method:

1- Make little incisions diagonally on the chicken pieces or legs.

2- In a sauce pan add chicken pieces and pour water just 1/2inch above chicken. Add 1/2tsp salt, cook until chicken is cooked. Remove cooked chicken from the stock into another plate and strain chicken stock into another bowl. Leave aside.

3- In the same pan add about 1/3 cup oil, onion, curry leaves, pandan leaves, chilly, garlic and ginger. Saute until onions gets soft, now add cooked chicken into sauteed onion mixture. Saute chicken until lightly brown.

4- Into the sauteed chicken add cumin, paprika, two table spoon pepper powder, and tomato paste. Pour chicken stock just the amount to cover chicken, give a stir and cook for 3 minutes.

5- While curry is cooking dissolve corn flour into coconut milk. Bring heat to lowest and pour coconut milk & corn flour mixture into the middle of pepper chicken curry. Turn to medium heat and cook until the curry gets thick and glossy stirring in between. When pepper chicken curry gets thick and glossy (never heard curry getting glossy well this will) taste and season with salt and extra pepper from the left over ½ tablespoon pepper, if the curry is not spicy enough. Serve with rice, roshi, bread …. Enjoy!