To marinate the chicken, take 1 kg of chicken, cut into medium pieces, in a mixing bowl. Add 2 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder and 1 tsp of salt to it. Mix the chicken pieces nicely with these two ingredients only. Cover the bowl and keep it aside for about 30 minutes to set properly.

In the meantime, take 2 pieces of cinnamon stick (inch size), 1 piece of black cardamom, 5 pieces of green cardamoms, and 6 pieces of cloves and crush them roughly, preferably in a traditional mortar and pestle, as shown in the image below.

After half an hour, heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a frying pan on a high flame. When the oil is hot, arrange the marinated pieces of chicken in it nicely and fry them for a minute or two on each side. When one side of the chicken pieces achieves a nice golden color, flip each of the pieces carefully. Transfer these nice and crispy golden pieces of chicken onto a plate and keep them aside.

Now, to make the gravy for the chicken dopiaza, heat ¼ cup of mustard oil in a handi in a medium to high flame. When the oil heats up, put in it the crushed spices that you made earlier. Follow it up with 1 tsp of cumin seeds and 3 pieces of bay leaves (whole). Stir them nicely for about 20 seconds until the cumin seeds stop crackling.

Now, add 2 pieces of finely chopped medium-sized onions to it and mix them nicely. Let the onions cook until they become soft.

Then, add 2 tsp of ginger-garlic paste to it. Mix and cook it nicely for about 2 minutes or so, until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic is gone.

Now, add a cup of tomato paste to it. You will need 4 medium-sized tomatoes to make the paste. Follow it with ½ tsp of coriander seeds powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, and ½ tsp of salt. Mix them all nicely with the ingredients in the kadai, stirring continuously, until the oil separates.

Now, reduce the flame of the gas stove to low and add a cup of whisked Dahi or yogurt to it. Mix it nicely. Then, turn the flame to medium and let the masala cook nicely for about 3 to 4 minutes more.

Now, add the fried pieces of chicken and mix the masala with them nicely. Let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Then, add 1.5 cups of water to it and mix nicely. Let it come to a boil.

When the water starts to boil, add 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 tbsp of black pepper, 1 tbsp of dried red chilies, and 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, all crushed roughly, and mix them all nicely with the chicken. Cover the handi and let the chicken cook on a medium flame for about 15 minutes or so.

After 15 minutes, remove the cover. The chicken will be cooked nicely by now. At this stage, put in ½ cup of onion (cut into square pieces) and about 4 to 5 pieces whole green chilies. Mix them all nicely with the chicken. Cover the handi again and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes more in a low flame.

After 5 minutes, remove the cover and add a few finely chopped coriander leaves to it. Give it a nice final mix and switch off the flame of the gas stove. Transfer the chicken dopyaza to a serving bowl.

Your tasty and spicy homemade chicken dopyaza is now ready to enjoy. Serve it with steamed rice or roti.