Prep your chicken pieces and set aside.

Heat the oil in a cooking pan at medium heat, and add in the chopped onion and whole cumin seeds. Fry until the onion turns slightly golden.

Put the minced ginger and garlic in the onion, and stir fry for a minute.

Then add in the rest of the spices, i.e. cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground black pepper, and salt. Stir fry further until the spices release aroma. Take care not to let the spices burn. 

Next, put the chopped tomatoes in the spices. Cook until the tomatoes become soft. Mash them with the back of a wooden spoon until they mix with the spices and turn to a thick sauce. You can add ½ cup of water little by little if the spice mix gets too dry. And cook it with the pan lid on to quicken the process. 

Once your spice masala turns nicely smooth, add the chicken pieces in, and toss around. So the poultry is covered with the sauce. 

Leave it to cook at low heat with a lid on until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Then add the rest of the water and continue cooking until the chicken is tender. Take care and keep stirring every now and again to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.

When the oil separates at the edges, your chicken shorba is ready. Serve it with chopped coriander leaves if you like and enjoy it with either rice or naan bread.