Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   8                    breasts of squab -- (spring chicken
                        -- breasts), deboned
                        -- and pat dried
   1      liter         clear chicken stock
   4                    green cardamom
   3                    cloves
   2                    black cardamom
   2                    bay leaves
   3                    blades mace
                        salt to taste
                        ***FOR THE ONION PASTE***
 150      gram          onions
   6      cloves        garlic
   2      inches        ginger root, sliced
   4                    green chiles -- deseeded and
                        -- chopped fine
                        ghee for deep frying
                        ***FOR THE ALMOND PASTE***
  30      grams         almonds -- blanched and peeled
                        ghee for deep frying
   3      tablespoons   milk
                        ***FOR THE GRAVY***
  60      grams         ghee
   2      tablespoons   butter
   2      tablespoons   mawa -- crumbled
   1      teaspoon      white pepper powder
     1/2  teaspoon      dried ginger powder
   1      tablespoon    lemon juice
   1      teaspoon      sugar
     1/2  teaspoon      green cardamom powder
     1/4  teaspoon      clove powder
     1/4  teaspoon      mace powder
 200      milliliter    cream
   2      drops         kewra essence
                        ***FOR THE GARNISH***
                        a few strands saffron
   1      tablespoon    lukewarm milk
   1      tablespoon    almond flakes
                        a small bunch of coriander leaves -- chopped

Preparation:

PUT the chicken stock in a pot, add green cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, bay leaves, mace and salt and bring to boil. Lower the heat. Add chicken and poach until the chicken is al dente (almost cooked) for about six minutes. Remove the chicken and keep aside. Reserve the stock to prepare the gravy. To prepare the onion paste: Quarter the onions, separate the layers and keep aside. Heat ghee in a kadai and deep fry all the ingredients until the onions are translucent and glossy. Remove to an absorbent paper to drain excess fat. Transfer to a blender and pulse until a smooth paste is obtained. Reserve the ghee. To prepare the almond paste: Reheat the reserved ghee and deep fry the almonds until light brown. Remove to an absorbent paper to drain excess fat. Grind them with the milk to a smooth paste. Reserve the ghee. To prepare the garnish: Soak the saffron and almond flakes in lukewarm milk. Heat 60 g of the reserved ghee and stir-fry the onion paste, followed by the almond paste, over low heat until a sheen appears on the surface (ensure that the pastes do not get colored). Add the reserved stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until reduced to half. Pass the gravy through a fine mesh soup strainer into a separate pan and keep aside. Melt butter in another pan and stir-fry the mawa over low heat for 15-20 seconds (ensure that the mawa does not get colored). Add the strained gravy and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add pepper powder and ginger powder. Stir well and simmer until the gravy reaches sauce consistency. Add lemon juice, sugar and the poached chicken. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the green cardamom powder, clove powder and mace powder. Stir well. Add the cream and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the gravy reaches sauce consistency. Remove from heat, add kewra essence and adjust the seasoning Garnish with saffron, almond flakes and coriander leaves.