Pepper Chicken Drumettes

 The original recipe for pepper chicken can be found in a previous blog post: http://kitchenanugraha.blogspot.com/2018/07/ellas-pepper-chicken.html#more  This recipe calls for a full chicken cut up into pieces. The idea is to use the full chicken, including the liver and gizzard.

The other day I was in a hurry to get some food on the table and the only chicken that was available was chicken drumettes. I made these and took the left overs for my lunch the next day.  As soon as my lunch was warmed up, the team wanted to know what I was having - it smelt so good.  

And that is the story of the appetizing smell of the pepper chicken.  Once you have smelt it you will not care much for KFC :-),  I promise! It is so much more healthier and really delicious too.

And these are perfect for entrée - make sure you have plenty to go around! 

Ingredients:

2 kg chicken drumettes – cleaned, washed and smeared with a teaspoon of turmeric.  Leave aside for 15 to 20 minutes with the turmeric.

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

1 to 1 1/2  teaspoons salt 

4-5 tablespoons of good vegetable oil ( I used rice bran oil)

3-4 tablespoons of black pepper, freshly ground ( use less if you prefer less heat)

10 to 12 stalks of fresh curry leaves

Method:

Cook the drumettes with the turmeric, chilli and salt in a pot with a lid with about ½ to ¾ a cup of water till it is cooked.

95% of the water will have evaporated b y the time you finish cooking, leave what is remaining in the pot.  Make sure the chicken doesn't stick to the pot!

In a separate wok, heat oil.  When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves, stripped from stalk.  Turn off the flame. Pour the hot oil with the curry leaves on to the cooked chicken. Add ground pepper.  

Sauté in a very low flame till the curry leaf infused oil gets into the chicken along with the pepper.

Serve hot with a glass of wine as an entrée.

Caution: Be careful when you add the curry leaves to hot oil as the hot oil will splutter.