Pepper chicken

In a hot pan, pour oil and add cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Allow them to sizzle.

Next, add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell of the paste disappears.

Add onions and fry until they turn golden.

Then, add tomatoes and salt. Fry until the tomatoes become mushy and soft.

Add red chili powder, garam masala, and coarsely crushed peppercorns and fry everything well until the mixture loses all its moisture.

Add the marinated chicken and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Cover and cook on low flame until the chicken becomes tender. If the chicken doesn't release enough moisture to cook, add a little water. If you prefer gravy, cover and cook until the chicken is soft. For a dry version, cook without a lid to evaporate the moisture in the chicken. Fry until all the moisture dries up.

Serve pepper chicken hot and squeeze in some lemon juice before serving.