Black Pepper Chicken Curry

I have grown up eating many kinds of Sri Lankan and Indian chicken curries. Chicken curry is served with steamed hot rice and vegetable curries in Sri Lanka. This is a chicken curry cooked with black pepper and homemade spices. Very easy to make with all ingredients you find at home. It's very aromatic and flavorful. Serve with hot steamed rice, Paratha or Roti. 

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

500g chicken pieces with bones 

2 medium onions, finely chopped 

2 large green chillies, finely sliced 

Handful of curry leaves

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 cardamom pods

3 cloves

A small piece of cinnamon stick

1 tbsp tamarind dissolved in 2 cups of water 

2 tbsp yoghurt/curd (whipped well)

2 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil/ghee

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Spices

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

3 tsp black pepper powder 

1 tsp coriander powder 

2 tsp roasted curry powder (I used my own curry powder here. If you don't have dry roast 3 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 3 cardamom pods together and grind it into fine powder)

Directions

1. Wash the chicken pieces well. 
2. Heat a pan over medium to high heat and add oil. 
3. When oil is hot add the ginger garlic paste, onions, green chilies and saute well.
4. When they are slightly cooked add the tomatoes and saute well. Now add the chicken pieces. Mix well.
   
5. Then add the tamarind water and curd along with curry leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick. 
6. Mix everything well and close the pan with a lid. Cook in medium heat until the chicken pieces are cooked well. 
   
7. Once the chicken pieces are cooked and when you can see oil floating in the curry, increase the heat to high and let the curry come to a boil for about 2 minutes. 
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional) and serve hot! Enjoy!