Heat gingelly oil(plus ghee-optional) and fry all the whole spices together. I used cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and a bay leaf.
Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and let them crackle.
Now add the finely chopped onions and saute well.
Put some curry leaves and slit green chillies.
Saute until the onions become soft and browned.
Add ginger-garlic paste or finely chopped ginger and garlic.
Saute for few minutes until the raw smell disappears completely.
Add tomatoes and cook them soft.
Put the turmeric powder and coriander powder. Adding chilli powder is optional for color.
Add the chicken pieces and mix well.
Now put the required salt and fresh black pepper powder. I always have stock of homemade fine pepper powder as well as coarsely ground pepper powder.
Do not add water. Cover with a lid, keep the heat to a medium-high setting.
Let the chicken cook in its own juice for around 6 minutes.
Open the lid and mix in-between to avoid burning the bottom and check the proper heat setting also.
After a few minutes, the chicken pieces would be almost cooked (3/4th cooked) from the heat and its water.
Now add some quarter cup of water (only if you use chicken with bones) and cover again for five minutes.
For boneless chicken don't add water(just sprinkle water if needed).
After a total ten minutes, open the lid and switch off at the desired consistency.
By this time the chicken pieces will be tenderly cooked and become semi-dry, darkly browned as shown. For extra dry chicken, pirattal leaves on the stove for few more minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves or finely chopped mint leaves for flavorful spicy kozhi milagu pirattal.