Marinate the chicken pieces with curd, red chilli power, turmeric and salt.

Partially cook the rice along with black cardamom and bay leaves. The rice needs to be around 50% done

Drain away the water and set aside the rice for later use

Dry roast the rest of whole spices namely, peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom and cinnamon for 30 seconds or till fragrant. Let it cool and then grind it into a fine powder.

Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in deep & heavy bottomed pan. Add chopped onions and sauté 2 till soft and lightly browned.

While the onion is sautéing, mash the ginger, garlic and green chillies together using a mortar & pestle

Add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste to the onions once they are lightly browned. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tsp of ground spices and sauté further for one minute.

Add the marinated chicken to the above and mix well till the chicken is covered with spices. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes on low flame. Add little water if required.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the potatoes in four pieces and fry them till crisp and cooked.

Now take a big metal or mud pot and grease it with ghee. Spread one layer of rice and top it with a layer of chicken gravy and 2 potatoes. Repeat this three times ending with a layer of rice. Heat the rest of the ghee and pour it on the top layer.

Seal the mouth of the pot with wheat flour dough to tighten the lid and place a heavy weight like chakla on top of it. Cook this on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes and let it stand for another 30 minutes before opening.

Serve hot with raita and a mutton gravy