“This is a winning chicken recipe. The black pepper adds to the warmth and depth of flavour of this simple, healthy, nutritious meal. This would be great with any sides, whether you go for a simple roti (see page 159 of 5 Ingredient Indian), paratha (see pages 160–70) or even a pulao of your choice, it matches everything perfectly.” Chetna Makan, author of 5 Ingredient Indian
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon Garam Masala (see page 16 for a homemade blend)
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep frying pan.
Add the onions and cook over a low–medium heat for 10 minutes until deeply golden. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for another minute.
Meanwhile, dry-roast the peppercorns in a separate frying pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Crush them in a pestle and mortar to a fine powder.
Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chilli powder and the garam masala to the onion pan, then add the chicken thighs along with 200ml (7fl oz) water and mix it all well. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Uncover the pan, add the ground pepper, then cover again and cook for another 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve.