Punjabi chicken curry

Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt and coarsely crushed black pepper; mix well and marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Chop the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato as finely as possible; no blender is needed.

Heat two tablespoons of oil and some ghee in a pan on medium-high heat.

Lower the heat to low, then add the whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds, so they do not burn.

Add the chopped ginger and garlic and stir a minute on medium heat, then add the onion with a sprinkle of salt and stir until well fried, when the oil separates at the sides of the pan.

Add the tomato and stir two to three minutes.

Add the turmeric powder and stir two minutes, then the Kashmiri red chili powder.

Add the chicken with all the marinade, mix, then add a tablespoon of ghee and the ground coriander.

Stir from time to time on high heat until all the water from the chicken dries up and the oil comes to the surface.

Add the crushed kasuri methi and garam masala powder.

Add a cup and a half of hot water and, optionally, two whole green chilies.

Cover on very low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then.

Discard the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and any cardamoms you find; add a generous amount of coriander leaves.

Serve with roti, naan or rice; it tastes better made the day before and refrigerated.