Apply salt and ginger-garlic paste to the chicken pieces and leave aside for ½ hour.
Finely chop onions in a chopper.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and onions and sauté till onion is golden.
Chop coriander leaves and put in a mixer jar. Add ginger, green chillies and coconut and grind into a fine paste with a little water.
Add marinated chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes and add ground masala and mix again. Add ½ cup water and mix. Cover and cook till the chicken is soft.
Uncover the pan, adjust salt and add garam masala powder. Mix well and add coconut milk. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.