This curry was cooked in a  Master Chef  Australia master class by Gary Mehigan.  It has become one of my favourite curries to cook because it is full of flavour and if you follow the recipe you just cannot go wrong.  I sometimes cook this using chicken thigh fillets and it still works a treat.

Ingredients

• 80ml (1/3 cup) peanut or grape seed oil
• 1 small chicken (1.2kg) jointed into 8 pieces
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 4.5 tomatoes, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds 
• 1/4 cup Greek-style yoghurt
• Coriander sprigs, to garnish

Tempered spices:

•  80ml grape seed or peanut oil
• 1/4 cup curry leaves
• 6-8 dried chillies
• 6 green cardamom pods

Method

For the curry, heat oil in a large, deep-frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes until lightly golden.  Remove and set aside.  Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden, scraping the base of the pan with a  wooden spoon.  Transfer onions to a small food processor and blend to a paste.  Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium.  Add garlic, finer and stir fry for about 20 seconds before adding tomatoes, stirring well to combine.  Cook for 2 minutes, then add turmeric, and chilli powder, and stir to combine.  Meanwhile pound cardamom, cloves, coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle until ground then add to pan, cook for 5-6 minute, stirring regularly.  Add onion paste and yoghurt, and stir well to combine.

Add chicken piece to pan with about 250ml (1 cup) of water, or more to taste. Cover with a lid, and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender, adding more water if  necessary, throughout cooking.

For the tempered spices, add oil to a frying pan over high heat.  Add remaining ingredients and swirl pan until spices pop and are fragrant. Turn off heat, and carefully tip spice mitre over the curry.

To serve, divide curry among bowls, garnish with coriander.