Kashmiri chicken masala

Puree tomato, ginger and garlic in a blender into a fine smooth paste.

Dry roast fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and black peppercorns on very low heat a few minutes until fragrant; take off the heat.

Grind with a mortar and pestle (cardamom skins removed) or a spice grinder.

Heat oil and ghee over medium; add the bay leaf, then finely chopped onions; stir on low heat until golden, not too brown, until oil shows at the sides.

Add the tomato ginger garlic paste; stir on high heat two minutes; add the chicken and stir from time to time on high heat.

Mix the yogurt with Kashmiri chilli powder, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and about two tablespoons of water, stirring vigorously.

When oil is released at the edges, turn the heat to lowest (or off on electric), add four tablespoons of cold water, add the yogurt and stir immediately.

Raise to medium and stir continuously until it comes to a boil; this keeps the yogurt from separating.

Once bubbles show, add salt (not before) and a sprinkle of sugar.

Add a cup of milk and half a cup of water; partially cover and cook on very low heat 20 minutes, stirring so nothing catches.

Add a teaspoon of paprika for colour.

Add the ground spice powder, ground mace, ground nutmeg and a quarter teaspoon of kasuri methi; cover five more minutes on very low heat.