Chicken Masala In Coconut Gravy

Made this for a dinner party. This is so delicious the aroma roasted spices and coconut come together so well, its a delicious curry goes well with rotis, naan, or even steamed rice or pulao.

Ingredients

2 Kgs Chicken - cut into medium pieces
6 Medium Onions - thinly sliced
3/4 Cup Packed Grated Fresh Coconut
2 Tablespoons Ginger Paste
2 Tablespoons Garlic Paste
3 Teaspoons Turmeric powder
4 Teaspoons Red Chilly powder or per your spice tolerance
600 Grams Fresh Yogurt
To Dry Roast Each Separately

2 Bay leaves
4 Teaspoons Level Coriander seeds
2 Teaspoons Level Cumin seeds
2 Teaspoons Level Fennel seeds/Saunf
16 Green Cardamons/Elaichi
2 Badi Elaichi / Brown Cardamom
4 One Inch Stick Each Cinnamon
16 Cloves

20 Whole Black Peppercorns

2 Flowers Star Anise
1 Whole Flower Mace/Javitri
4 Teaspoons Sesame seeds
16 Nagkesar - see notes
2 Small Pieces Dagad Phool/ Black Stone Flower
1 Cup Oil
2 Teaspoons Salt or according to your taste

Method

Marinate chicken in ginger garlic paste, half the quantity salt and turmeric for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Dry roast given whole spices in a pan on sim, till fragrant. When cooled grind this to a fine powder. Remove and keep aside.

Lightly roast coconut in the same pan. Keep aside to cool.

Heat oil in a thick bottom kadai, add onions, fry on medium flame, till golden brown. Drain the onions well and remove with a slotted spoon. Keep this in a blender with the roasted coconut.

Grind onions, and coconut with little water to a make fine paste.

In the same pan that the onions were fried add more oil if necessary add marinated chicken pieces to the pan. Fry till chicken well and oil starts to leave the sides of the pan. Add chilly powder and fry for a 2 minutes or till oil separates.