Chicken gravy (traditional style)

Ingredients:
Chicken 1 whole
Coconut 2 cups
Onion 1 and 1/2 cup
Tomato 1
Coriander leaves 6-7 strands
Ginger-garlic paste 2 tea spn
Oil
Salt
Garam masala:
Cloves 6-7
Cinnamon 2″ piece
Nutmeg 2″ piece
Pepper 7-8
Shahjeera(caraway seeds) 1 tea spn
Dagad phool(stone flower) 1 tea spn
Japatri(mace or the skin of nutmeg) 2-3
Red chilies 5-6
Khus khus(Poppy seeds) 1 tea spn
Fennel seeds(badishepi) 1 tea spn
Increase or decrease the amount of spices to suit the taste.
Method:
Mix ginger garlic paste with chicken and leave it for around 1-2hrs.
Heat oil and fry the spices on a low flame in it taking care not to burn them. When a nice aroma comes out, add 3/4 cup onion and fry till they turn brownish. Grind this to a smooth paste and keep aside. This paste is called as ‘brown paste’.
Roast the coconut(without adding oil) till it turns slightly brownish. Grind to a smooth paste. This takes a very long time to become smooth paste as roasted coconut is being ground (do not mix both pastes as these are added at different stages to the gravy). This paste is called as ‘white paste’.
Heat oil and fry remaining onion till they turn slightly brownish. Add the marinated chicken and fry for sometime. Add 1/2 cup water(if required), close the lid and cook till chicken becomes tender.
Add the ground coconut, cook for a minute. Add tomatoes chopped into big pieces and chopped coriander leaves. When the mixture starts boiling, add the brown masala and salt. Cook for another 5-6mins.
Serve with chapathi and yellow flavored rice, ie fried rice(gravy does not go well with white rice, so serve it with this rice).
Serves : 8-9
Preparation time : 1 and 1/2 hrs to 2hrs (including time taken to cut onions, grind masala)