This classic, comforting chicken curry is one of those dishes a Pakistani kitchen is incomplete without. This is a versatile and forgiving dish. Use minimal ingredients and whatever spices you have access to to create this hug in a bowl

Ingredients

½ cup (125 ml) oil
1 medium (110 g) onion finely diced
2 (240 g) tomatoes halved
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2-2.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoon paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder (essential for the colour)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
10 whole black peppercorns
1 green cardamom
1 teaspoon chilli powder please taste before adding this, and adjust as per your spice preference

1 medium chicken, bone in, curry-cut into approx 12-14 pieces (approximately 800g or 1.7lb)
chopped coriander or dried fenugreek to garnish
½ teaspoon garam masala

Instructions
Heat the oil in a deep pot
Add in the diced onions. Cook these on a medium high heat till the onions become translucent and begin to brown lightly on the edges,
Add the halved tomatoes and a splash of water. Cover and steam this on low for about 5 minutes, lid on. Once the 5 minutes are up, the skin should slip off the tomatoes easily. Remove and discard.
Turn the heat up, add the garlic, ginger and all the spices and dry out the masala, stirring constantly. Use your spoon to mash the onions and tomatoes as you stir. Alternatively, you can blend these to get a super smooth masala fast.

Once the masala is super dry, the oil begins to separate at the edges and the masala begins to catch at the bottom of the pot, add the chicken.
Sauté the chicken on high heat, again stirring constantly, until the chicken changes colour and no longer remains pink.
Add 2.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for half an hour.
Once the chicken is cooked through, stir in the garam masala and coriander/dried fenugreek.

Notes
The whole spices are optional, although highly recommended.
I have used paprika/Kashmiri red chilli powder because its mild flavour allows us to use more powder the colour the curry deeply. If you do not have these spices feel free to simply use red chilli powder to taste.