Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add the onions and stir until the color tends to light brown. Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves). Add the ground spices, then the chicken pieces and stir lightly for ten minutes till browned.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, coriander, garlic, ginger and dried lime, then stir until the tomatoes become soft. Add the green pepper (optional).

Add broth and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and place it in the oven under the grill to give it a lovely brown color.

Cook the rice by adding the right amount of chicken broth to cook it (each cup of Basmati rice will take 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cup of broth).

When the rice water evaporates, we return the chicken on top of the rice and close the lid for another 25 - 30 minutes on very low heat till its completely cooked.