murgh kaali mirch or a black pepper chicken with lemon-pepper-parsley stir fried pearl barley : week day meals can be special

Murgh kaali mirch is a popular restaurant chicken dish of Indian origin, I find the flavors suitable to everyone who loves a flavorful balance of peppery heat, a little sourness from the yogurt and onion sweetness. I have posted a recipe of murgh kaali mirch earlier and have cooked it along with spinach leaves or spring onions added mostly, but I make the plain recipe without the greens as well. This time I baked it and found it to be even more easy to make.

I used two whole legs of chicken as it was being baked and was easier to handle. The marinade was applied overnight in the fridge and the chicken was baked in a dish covered with aluminium foil to retain moisture and keep the sauce saucy.

ingredients for the murgh kaali mirch
(serves 2)
2 fat chicken legs with thighs attached
3/4 cup of thick full fat yogurt
1 tbsp of freshly milled black pepper
1/4 cup onion paste
1 tsp each of ginger and garlic paste (you can use 1/2 tsp powders of each)
a small piece of cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves pounded together to powder
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt to taste

procedure

Mix everything together to make a marinade and smear the chicken thighs with it. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 3-4 hours before cooking.

This mixture can be simmered in a shallow pan for about 40 minutes, keeping the pan covered all the time, adding a few tbsp of water if required. But I decided to bake it this time so I would be free to do a few other things on the sly. Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes first, at 200 C, check the chicken if done or bake again covered or open depending upon how thick you want the sauce. The marinade becomes a nice sauce to coat the chicken.

Serve hot with your choice of accompaniments. We had it with a few batons of carrots and a lightly stir fried side of pearl barley.

Stir fried pearl barley with lemon pepper and parsley

ingredients
(serves 2)

a cup of boiled pearl barley (boil it like brown rice and refrigerate for a week if you use it frequently)
4-5 thin slices of lime
2 slit fresh red chilies
a handful of fresh parsley chopped roughly
butter 2 tsp or olive oil
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste

procedure

Heat the butter and add the lemon slices and salt before it start melting. The lime slices will sizzle lightly and that is the time to add the chopped garlic, slit red chilly and parsley, quickly followed by the boiled pearl barley. Increase the heat, stir fry for a minute or two and serve immediately.

You would repeat this stir fried pearl barley with lime, pepper parsley and butter many times I am sure. Try replacing it with the pasta you serve to your kids and see how they gobble it up.

It makes a nice lunch box meal with shredded chicken or boiled eggs packed with it. Who doesn't love good flavors? Just replace the refined foods with whole and keep the flavors real, not chemical and see how the food is loved and cherished.
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Watch this recipe being cooked on TV. The very talented Chef Vikas Khanna and yours truly share screen space and cook this wonderful chicken kali mirch recipe.