Main ingredient of this dish is the roasted corriander and roasted chilli powder.
Dry roast corriander powder in thick bottomed wok until it turns its colour to dark brown. Take care not to burn it. Cook in simmer and stir continuously. The colour of this corriander powder makes the gravy look appetizing. So take care while roasting it. Once its dark brown. Take it in a bowl and in the same pan, add chilli powder and quickly roast it. The chilli powder creates the strong aroma. So quickly dry roast it. It changes colour immediately. So take care not to burn. Stop it at right dark red colour.
Cooking Chicken
Heat oil, add sliced onions and saute well until its caramelized. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute well until raw smell goes off.
Now to this add chopped tomatoes and saute until its mushy.
Put in cleaned chicken pieces,turmeric powder,salt,roasted coriander powder and roasted chilly powder.
Mix well , cover and cook. Add only very little water as chicken will leave out water. let it cook in simmer for an 40 min to 1 hour so that the flavor of coriander and chilly gets into chicken. check for water in between, add if necessary
Once chicken is cooked. Open it and leave it in simmer for 5 to 10 min. At this point add curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Notes
*Roasting the spices needs extra care and patience.
*Cooking this dish in mud pot adds up the flavor.