In a bowl, mix your beef with yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and salt. Let this marinated beef rest for at least 1 hour (overnight if you can), allowing the flavors to infuse deeply.

Rinse the rice thoroughly, then boil with whole spices and salt until about 80% done. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan and fry the onions on medium heat until golden brown. Set aside half for layering and garnish.

In your main biryani pot, cook the marinated beef on medium heat until tender and the oil separates—this usually takes about 45–50 minutes. Add a splash of water if it begins to stick.

Remove half the cooked beef from the pot. Start layering: one portion of rice over the beef in the pot, followed by mint, cilantro, and fried onions. Add the remaining beef, then more rice. Top with the rest of the herbs, onions, saffron milk, and rose water if using.

Seal the pot with foil and a tight lid. Cook on very low heat for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes before opening.

Gently fluff with a large spoon, making sure not to break the rice grains. Serve hot with cucumber raita or spicy chutney.