For the TARKA you'll need 5 garlic cloves, ½ inch ginger, 5 green chillies or to taste, 3 dry red chillies or to taste, 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, pinch of cumin seeds, pinch of whole black peppers, pinch of mustard seeds. Using your chosen method coarsely grind together all of the above and leave aside.

In a large pan or pot heat up 1 cup of oil, add the TARKA which is the coarsely grinded garlic & ginger etc that you set aside earlier. Stir on a high flame until golden brown and then add the sliced onions, 2 bay leaves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods, 4 whole cloves and 2 teaspoons of salt or to your taste. Stir and leave on a medium flame until the onions soften, change colour and reduce, stir occasionally as not to burn or stick to the pan/pot.

Once the onions have softened, reduced and changed in colour, turn the flame to low and add 1 teaspoon of Haldi/Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of Chilli Powder or to your taste, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri Chilli powder, 2 teaspoons of Hot Madras Curry powder or mild version, 2 teaspoons of Dhaniya/Coriander powder. Stir on a medium to high flame for around a minute. Add 1 cup of hot water and stir for 30 seconds. Add another cup of hot water and leave on a low flame for 5 minutes.

For a medium version use less chillies and less Chilli Powder. For a mild version use no chillies and no Chilli Powder, also use the mild version of the Madras Curry Powder.

Add the chicken, stir and leave on high flame for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Now add another cup of hot water, cover and leave on low to medium flame for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Now remove the lid, turn the flame to low and leave for around 7 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and take off heat.