Wash chicken pieces properly and marinate with salt, turmeric 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, green cardamom, cloves and saute for a minute.

Add in chopped onion and fry till golden brown. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, onion paste, ginger garlic paste and salt. Saute well for a couple of minutes. Add meat masala powder and cook till oil starts to leave the sides.

Add chopped tomato and green chillies. Cook till tomato turns soft.

Now add the marinated chicken pieces and mix properly so that the chicken pieces are well coated with the masala mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Give it an occasional stir in between to avoid the masala sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Next add water (preferably hot water) as required and stir once. Cover and cook on a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Open the lid and stir. Add garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Cover and switch off the flame.

Serve chicken curry hot with fluffy white rice.