Wash the rice and let it soak for about half an hour in water.

Wash and clean the chicken, and cut it into medium pieces.

Grind 2 cloves, 2 pieces of cinnamon, the cardamoms, 1 onion, the ginger, garlic, chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves and the nuts. Marinate the chicken pieces in the paste.

Extract coconut milk — aim for 1 and 1/2 cups thick milk and 1 cup thin milk.

Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed vessel and temper with the bay leaf, and the remaining spices.

After about 30 seconds, add the onion and sauté until it is transparent. Then add the chicken along with the ground masala, salt and turmeric powder. Give it all a good stir and let it fry until the oil rises to the top.

Add the thin coconut milk and curds and let it all cook under a lid for 5 minutes.

Add the rice, stirring it into the vessel slowly and let it cook for 5 minutes under the lid.

Now add the thick coconut milk and cook it on low heat until done. Add lime juice in the end, according to your taste.

Check the pulao now and then to ensure that that enough water for the chicken and rice to cook in. If it seems dry to you then add a little hot water at a time (I added about two tablespoons a few times. Cook until the rice if soft and the chicken firm. Ensure that each rice grain is separate though and not mushy!