Umma and I always have our dinners from outside on Thursdays. We stick to the tried and tested tastes, as umma is more bend towards her Kerala taste buds. Most of the time, we move on to eat some naadan food, like porotta, beef roast, chicken varattiyathu, etc... which normally tastes much better at a restaurant than when we make it at home! Grr...
There is this little restaurant in the Nahda side of Dubai where we go at least once in a couple of months, as umma loves the food there. When we run out of ideas where to eat from, we normally jump in there. When my sister had come for a visit and we went for our dinner on a Thursday, I was really not in a mood to hog - read in between the lines as in a mood to have just diet food!!! Hehe... screening through the menu card, I was really wondering what to order in the category of soup. Actually speaking, there is no soup in our Keralan menu and all Malayalees know that very well. Umma and sister ordered for their share of fish while I was still undecided on the soup. That's when my eyes fell on the name "Kozhi Kurumulaku Soup" and without even asking what was in it, I just ordered for it. The soup arrived really hot and by the time I was done with it, I was sitting with a little box of tissue right next to me, wiping my eyes and nose to ensure I don't make a mess of myself. The waiter was amused seeing a Keralite who could not even take the spice of black pepper and he ensured me that there was no trace of green or red chilli anywhere in the soup, it's just the black pepper. Whatever said and done, that soup tasted really good that it lingered on my taste buds for quite some time.
One lazy night after work, I decided to try my hands at making this soup, pulling out from my mind the flavors that were part of it. And I must say, I did justice to making this soup taste similar to what I had - I used the word "similar", please do note! The flavor of shallots, cumin and load of black pepper, whether crushed and powdered gives a totally lovely taste to the soup - so good in case you have a flu or a nasty cold...
There is this little restaurant in the Nahda side of Dubai where we go at least once in a couple of months, as umma loves the food there. When we run out of ideas where to eat from, we normally jump in there. When my sister had come for a visit and we went for our dinner on a Thursday, I was really not in a mood to hog - read in between the lines as in a mood to have just diet food!!! Hehe... screening through the menu card, I was really wondering what to order in the category of soup. Actually speaking, there is no soup in our Keralan menu and all Malayalees know that very well. Umma and sister ordered for their share of fish while I was still undecided on the soup. That's when my eyes fell on the name "Kozhi Kurumulaku Soup" and without even asking what was in it, I just ordered for it. The soup arrived really hot and by the time I was done with it, I was sitting with a little box of tissue right next to me, wiping my eyes and nose to ensure I don't make a mess of myself. The waiter was amused seeing a Keralite who could not even take the spice of black pepper and he ensured me that there was no trace of green or red chilli anywhere in the soup, it's just the black pepper. Whatever said and done, that soup tasted really good that it lingered on my taste buds for quite some time.
One lazy night after work, I decided to try my hands at making this soup, pulling out from my mind the flavors that were part of it. And I must say, I did justice to making this soup taste similar to what I had - I used the word "similar", please do note! The flavor of shallots, cumin and load of black pepper, whether crushed and powdered gives a totally lovely taste to the soup - so good in case you have a flu or a nasty cold...
Kozhi Kurumulaku Soup ~ Chicken Black Pepper Soup
Serves 2
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp garlic paste
6 shallots, sliced
1 spring curry leaves, chopped
2 tsp whole peppercorn, crushed
200 gm chicken breast with bone, cut into tiny pieces
500 ml water
3 tbsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp garlic paste
6 shallots, sliced
1 spring curry leaves, chopped
2 tsp whole peppercorn, crushed
200 gm chicken breast with bone, cut into tiny pieces
500 ml water
3 tbsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter cumin seeds. Saute the garlic paste for a minute. Add the shallots and curry leaves and saute for around 5 minutes till the shallots are soft. Add the remaining ingredients, give a nice stir and close the lid. Pressure cook for two whistles on high flame. Switch off and allow the pressure to go by itself.
Adjust seasoning, add more pepper if required. Serve warm!