• Mix yogurt, mango puree, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, Ambur Biryani masala (see notes below), lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.
  Salt to taste, 1 cup mango, 1 cup yogurt, 1 tsp fresh garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp Ambur Biryani masala, Juice of 1 lemon
• Marinate the chicken or mutton pieces in this mixture and let it sit for at least 2 hours.
  1 lb chicken or mutton
• Wash and soak Basmati rice for 30 minutes. Cook the rice with whole spices until it's 70-80% cooked. Drain the water.
  2 cups Basmati rice, 4-5 green cardamom pods, 4-5 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon stick, 1-2 bay leaves
• In a heavy-bottomed pan, layer the marinated meat at the bottom. Add a layer of partially cooked rice on top. Sprinkle with mint and cilantro leaves. Drizzle ghee over the layers.
  1/2 cup mint leaves, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 3 tbsp ghee
• Seal the pan with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil. Cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
• Gently fluff the biryani with a fork. Garnish with additional mint and cilantro leaves before serving.

Ground Ambur Biryani Masala:

• In a pan over low heat, dry roast ground fennel, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground black pepper, ground green cardamom, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and dried red chilies until fragrant. Stir continuously to avoid burning.
  1 tsp ground fennel, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp cayenne
• Allow the roasted ground spices to cool.
• Mix in turmeric powder with the roasted spice blend.
  1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Transfer the Ground Ambur Biryani Masala seasoning to an airtight container.