Wash chicken pieces properly and marinate with salt, turmeic powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, mustard oil and curd. Set aside for one hour.

Heat oil in a cooking pot and add sugar. When sugar starts to caramelize add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and saute for a minute or two.

Add in chopped onion and fry till golden brown. Add red chilli powder, turmeic powder, onion paste, ginger garlic paste and salt. Saute well for a couple of minutes. Then add chopped tomato and cook till it turns mushy. Next add chicken masala, mix well and cook till oil gets separated from the mixture.

Now add marinated chicken and saute for 4-5 minutes on a medium flame.

Turn the flame to completely low and cook covered for 5 minutes. Give it an occasional stir in between.

Flip the chicken pieces and mix everything well. Add coriander leaves and give a good stir.

Cover the pot again and continue to cook on a low heat until chicken is completely cooked to soft and tender. Chicken gets cooked in it's own moisture.

Add little hot water to make a gravy. Cook until the gravy turns thick.

Sprinkle garam masala powder, cover and turn off the flame.

Serve chicken masala hot with steamed rice/ roti.