Madhur Jaffrey's Royal Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt

Ingredients

• 250ml (8fl oz) natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp chilli powder, or to taste
• 4 tbsp finely chopped green coriander
• 1.5kg (3lb) chicken, cut into serving portions
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 5cm (2in) cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 2½ tbsp blanched, slivered almonds
• 2½ tbsp sultanas