Bengali Chicken Curry

10 chicken drumsticks or thighs
2 large red onions, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
About a finger's length of ginger, grated
2 large, fresh tomatoes, diced
   (or 15 ounce can of chopped tomatoes)
3-4 pieces of whole cardamom
3-4 small sticks whole cinnamon
6 pieces whole cloves
4-5 bay leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) red chili powder
1-2 teaspoons (or to taste) salt
1 teaspoon (or to taste) sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinate the chicken in salt, turmeric and chili powder for 30 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Heat until contents are light brown in color. Add chopped onions, garlic and ginger, and fry until golden brown. Add marinated chicken, along with diced tomatoes, and turn chicken over a few times to coat them with contents of the pan. Reduce heat, and add enough water to cover the chicken. Cover pan and cook for at least 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Garnish with cilantro. Serving size: 4.