Kerala Pepper Chicken (Kurumulak Chicken) Recipe

Kerala pepper chicken (kurumulak chicken) is chicken marinated in turmeric and crushed black pepper, cooked in its own juices, then tossed with deep-golden onions, curry leaves and a second dose of pepper until the masala clings to the meat. It takes about an hour and uses 2 tablespoons of freshly crushed peppercorns for 1 kg of chicken.

There's no tomato and very little chilli, so the pepper has nowhere to hide. Fresh peppercorns make it hot, fragrant, slightly citrusy. Old pepper makes it flat.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 kg chicken, curry cut, bone-in
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely crushed (divided)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 to 3 green chillies, slit
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, plus a few extra to finish
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Method

1. Marinate (30 minutes). Mix the chicken with turmeric, salt and 1 tablespoon of the crushed pepper.
2. Cook the chicken (about 15 minutes). Put it in a covered pan with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water and cook on medium until almost done. Keep the juices.
3. Fry the onions (12 to 15 minutes). In a wide pan, heat the coconut oil, add the onions with a pinch of salt and fry until deep golden. This gives the dish its sweetness, so don't rush it.
4. Add the aromatics (2 minutes). Ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves go in next.
5. Add the powders (30 seconds). Stir in coriander powder and garam masala without letting them burn.
6. Combine (8 to 10 minutes). Add the chicken and its juices. Cook uncovered on medium-high, stirring, until the liquid dries and the masala coats each piece.
7. Finish with pepper (2 minutes). Add the remaining tablespoon of crushed pepper and the extra curry leaves. Toss, taste for salt, squeeze in lemon if you like.

When should the pepper go in?

Pepper goes in twice. The half in the marinade cooks into the meat and gives depth. The half at the end keeps its aroma, and that's what people notice when the plate reaches the table.

Crush it coarsely rather than grinding it fine. Coarse pieces give small bursts of heat, while fine powder makes the whole dish evenly hot and a bit dull. A mortar and pestle or two quick pulses in a dry mixie jar does the job.

• Milder, for children or cautious eaters: use 1 tablespoon of pepper in total and leave out the green chillies.
• Hotter: go up to 3 tablespoons, adding the extra at the end.

Mistakes that flatten this dish

• Pale onions. Onions pulled off the heat while still light give a watery, sharp masala. Wait for deep golden.
• All the pepper at the start. Long cooking keeps the heat but loses the smell. Hold half back.
• Pre-ground pepper. It loses aroma long before it loses heat. Crush whole peppercorns just before cooking.
• Too much water in step 2. This is meant to be a dry roast. Extra water means a long wait for it to reduce, and dry chicken by the end.
• Burnt powders. Coriander powder scorches quickly. If the pan is very hot, add a splash of the chicken juices along with it.

What to serve with it

Kerala parotta, appam or plain rice with a simple dal all work. It tastes even better the next day once the pepper has settled in. Cool leftovers quickly, keep them covered in the fridge and eat within a day or two.

Which pepper to use

We use whole Kerala black pepper from Idukki, where the vines grow up shade trees alongside cardamom. Curious how Kerala pepper types differ? Our Malabar vs Tellicherry pepper guide covers the grades, and Kerala black pepper varieties covers the vines themselves.