Cooking Easy Food

1lb chicken portions - (cut up a whole chicken because it's cheaper - see chicken section)
1 (small) carton plain yogurt
2 medium onions (very finely chopped)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 cardamon pods
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder (or ½ teaspoon of hot chilli powder)
½" piece of fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon coriander seeds to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper & salt to taste

1. Remove excess fat from chicken. Salt and pepper the portions.
2. Mix the chilli powder and yoghurt together and pour over the chicken, using hands to totally cover the pieces. Leave to marianade at room temperature for half or one hour.
3. Heat oil in large heavy pan and when hot, add mustard powder, cloves, cardamon pods and coriander seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Then add the onion and fry for a further two minutes until onion begins to turn brown. Lower the heat to medium and add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for 4-6 minutes. Add the mustard powder, garam masala and cumin powder. Pour the chicken mixture into the pan and cook uncovered over a high heat for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender, stirring every 5 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes of cooking, if there isn't enough liquid in the pot add a quarter cup of water.

(General Note - when you cook with the pan lid on (the lid must not have any holes in it), the pan will produce liquid which forms part of the sauce. If you find you have too much sauce in a dish, you leave the lid off to let the liquid evaporate).

Alternative variation:
Leave out the yogurt. When the chicken is 3/4 done, add one small can of tomato paste. Just before serving, add a small carton of cream and cook for a few minutes.