Pat chicken pieces dry. In a large bowl combine yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, red chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, salt, lemon juice and 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add chicken, toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Rice & Aromatics

Soak rice

Rinse basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear. Soak rice in enough water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain.

Parboil rice

Bring 1.5 liters (approximately) of water to a rolling boil in a large pot with 1.5 tsp salt, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Add soaked, drained rice and cook uncovered until rice is about 70% done — grains should still have a slight bite (about 6–8 minutes depending on rice age). Reserve 1/4 cup of the hot cooking water, then drain rice well in a colander.

Biryani Base & Layering

Fry onions

Heat 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown and caramelized (about 12–15 minutes). Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnish. Keep the remaining onions in the pot.

Cook marinated chicken

Increase heat to medium-high, add remaining ghee (3 tbsp) and 1 tbsp oil to the pot with onions. Add marinated chicken in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, then stir and continue cooking until chicken is about 80–90% cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 10–12 minutes). If using chopped tomato and slit green chilies, add them after 5 minutes of cooking the chicken to add moisture and flavor. Taste and adjust salt.

Prepare saffron milk

While chicken cooks, soak saffron strands in warm milk for 5–10 minutes to release color and aroma.

Layer the biryani

Lower heat to simmer. Spread half of the parboiled drained rice evenly over the chicken layer. Sprinkle half of the chopped cilantro, half of the mint, half of the reserved fried onions and a few tablespoons of saffron-infused milk. Add remaining rice in a second layer, then top with remaining cilantro, mint, fried onions and saffron milk. Dot the top with small pieces of butter or a little extra ghee if desired.

Dum (sealed steam) cooking

Seal the pot to trap steam: cover with a tight-fitting lid, or place a sheet of parchment or aluminum foil over the pot and then the lid. Turn heat to the lowest setting and cook for 25–30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and rice to finish cooking in the steam (this is called 'dum'). After 15 minutes, reduce heat to very low. Turn off heat after total 25–30 minutes and let rest undisturbed for another 10 minutes before opening.

Finish and serve

Gently fluff the biryani with a wide, flat spatula or fork, taking care to keep layers somewhat intact. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with reserved fried onions, roasted cashews, and optional edible leaf. Serve hot with lime wedges, raita or a side salad.