1. Clean and joint the chicken. Remove the skin. Slice onions.
2. Grind 1/2 the onions with all the ingredients from ginger to poppy seeds to a smooth paste.
3. Chop tomatoes. Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame.
4. Add all the ingredients from cloves to fennel. Fry for 1 minute. Add onion slices and fry till brown.
5. Add the ground paste and fry well. Add all the powders, fry for 1 minute.
6. Add tomatoes, fry till oil separates at the sides of the kadai. Add chicken pieces and salt.
7. Add 2 cups of water.Cover and lower the flame.
8. Simmer till chicken is cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Serves 4-6