May 1, 2007

PEPPER CHICKEN

Pepper Chicken flavored with Peppercorns is my contribution this week's "Weekend Herb Blogging" hosted by Kalyn herself this time around.My choice of spice this week for WHB is black Peppercorns and powder.Thanks for hosting Kalyn:)



Black Peppercorn:





The word "pepper" is derived from Sanskrit(the oldest Indian language) pippali, in Latin piper and Old English pipor. The Latin word is also the source of German pfeffer, French poivre, Dutch peper, etc,.Black pepper is native to South India, said to be found more than 4,000 years ago as far back as 1000 B.C. and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in the tropical regions.Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit,which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The same fruit is also used to produce white pepper and green pepper.More info at WIKIPEDIA.





Pepper Chicken:


Here is a easy and delicious spiced with peppercorns stir fry chicken for Quick lunch.This recipe serves two easily with a salad and slice of bread.


You Need:


1 lb chicken breasts,cut in to bite sized pieces,1 small onion chopped, 1" fresh ginger,2 garlic finely minced,1-2 small plum tomatoes,chopped or 1/4 cup Tomato sauce,1/4 tsp turmeric(optional),1 tsp cumin seed pd,1 tsp coarsely ground or crushed black peppercorns,salt and cilantro ,lemon slices for garnish.



How to make it:


Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan,add onion and fry until soft.Put in ginger-garlic,saute for 2 mins.Add Chicken pieces,stir fry until they turn white.Put in all the other ingredients along with tomatoes,cover and cook on low heat.When the chicken is cooked,turn up the heat and stir-fry until it's almost dry with gravy sticking to the chicken.Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.


That's all there is to it! Garnish with cilantro and serve with a slice of lemon,bread slices or rice.


Interesting use of Peppercorns other than in cooking!

Black pepper is also an effective deterrent to insects. A solution of 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper to one quart of warm water sprayed on plants can be toxic to ants, potato bugs, silverfish, and even roaches and moths. A sprinkling of ground pepper will also deter insect paths in non-garden areas.(source:Internet)

Enjoy the dish and the tips!:))

25 comments:

Kalyn Denny said...

This sounds very good. I love the seasonings you're using in your chicken.

I remember learning as a child how pepper originally came from India and how Columbus "discovered" America when he was actually trying to get to India to bring back black pepper to Europe.

FH said...

Hi Kalyn,thanks:)) It's simple and a quick dish to make.

My grandfather grows pepper corns in his Coffee Estate back in South India, and I remember playing in the field where they spread huge mounds of green fresh peppercorns to dry!!Nostalgia:)))

Sig said...

Wow Ash, pepper chicken is my fav... This is totally different from all the ways that I make it, it looks super delicious, will try for sure.
BTW, love your green pepper grinder(?).

VINI said...

Hey Asha,superb presentation! Seems to be a simple recipe...must try it out sometime.

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,

Pepper chicken, now it has become military hotels i guess. we started posting all non.veg too...


Recipe looks good and by the way method seems to be very simple and easy too..

FH said...

Thanks Sig.Very very simple,not very spicy dish,wrapped in Tortilla,perfect lunch.I love that Pear shaped Pepper grinder too:))

FH said...

Thanks Vini,
do try.You will love it:)

Hi Usha,thank God for non-veg dishes.Sometimes ,it gets so boring to cook veg dishes.That's why I sneak one or two in middle of so many veg dishes!:D

Sharmi said...

hey never knew pepper was derived from Sanskrit. so nice to know!! feel proud too. is that ur pepper mill? WAW!! nice entry!

Kribha said...

Dear Asha,
In my recipe I usually don't add tomato and use only corriander and pepper powder to make 'pepper chicken'. Your's is different and looks simple too. will try it sometime. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

I bet my hubby would love it , Chicken with all that flavourable spices. Need to show him this post ..

Also, my website is Up now . Sorry for the inconvenience

Regards

Mishmash ! said...

Heyyyy.....I am soo happy to see you making a dish with peppercorns soon after i made a post of Pepper Fish Fry :) Anyway, my pepper chicken prep is completely different and as you wrote this is quite an easy and simple one...thanks for sharing this :) Waiting for tomorrow's buffet ;)

Shn

Pravs said...

We have pepper vines growing in our veggie garden back home. Love peppery taste...will give this a try. Thanks for the tips.

FH said...

Sharmi,thanks.Pepper is mainly grown in South India too.
YUP! That's one of my pepper mill.I love it!:)

Hi Kribha,I make that way too sometimes.For this entry, I have to think about American spices which easily available for them,so I made it this way.Cumin is more familiar than coriander pd here.Hope you try this,equally great:)

FH said...

Thank God Sushma.I tried about 3 times to get in ,couldn't and I panicked!:D
Make this dish,it takes 15-20 mins max:)

Hi shn,I made dish 2 week's ago,had photo sitting around,thought I would send it to Kalyn this week!:))
Your fish fry looks great,this is just a quick stir-fry.
Tomorrow is buffet day?!:D:D:D

FH said...

Pravs,pepper plants need lot of heat,very ideal to grow in South India indeed!We are lucky to have seen the real thing:))
Thanks,hope you try.

Anh said...

Asha, your grinder looks so beautiful! :P And this dish hits my taste bud straght on since I love anything peppery! Yummy! :)

Gattina Cheung said...

I always love pepper chicken at Chinese buffet, I think I love this Indian style even more! And great gardening tip Asha :D

Prema Sundar said...

Looks too good Asha.. sounds easy too. Nice to know that the word pepper came from sanskrit.Thanks for sharing Asha.

sunita said...

That's such a nice and simple recipe...thanks...

FH said...

Hi Anh,enjoy the peppery chicken!:))

Gattina,I love Chinese Pepper chicken ,usually at the restaurants stir-fried with Beef and Onions! YUM!!:)

FH said...

Hi Prema,lot of spices have their names originated in Indo-European language.It's so good to know ,isn't it?:))

Hi Sunita, you are welcome.It makes a super quick lunch on a busy day.Try it:)

Ayesha Seerin said...

What a co-incidence ...
is that pepper grinder , it looks like a well formed , perfect shaped lauki :-) ... I've never had this type of pepper chicken b4 .. Should try it sometime

FH said...

That's what I told you!;D
This dish way different from your's,mine is westernized(just a tad!)chicken to suit the palate.
That's a Pear shaped Pepper mill,I have a matching salt shaker too like that without the black top!I love it:))

Kajal said...

Hi Asha,
Nice recipe with step by step pic.
Take care.:)

FH said...

Thanks Kajal,hope you try:))