Marinate meat: Mix 750g mutton or chicken with 1 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp biryani masala and salt. Marinate overnight in the fridge.
Fry birista (crispy onions): Slice 3 large onions thinly. Deep fry in batches on medium heat 15-18 minutes until very dark brown and crispy. Drain on paper.
Parboil rice: Boil rice in a large pot of salted water with whole spices for 5 minutes. Drain at 60% cooked.
Cook meat layer: In a heavy pot heat 3 tbsp oil. Add the marinated meat with all yogurt. Cook on high heat 8-10 minutes stirring until meat is sealed.
Layer biryani: Spread the partially cooked meat as the base layer in the pot. Add half the parboiled rice over it. Sprinkle half the birista.
Add second rice layer: Add remaining rice on top. Sprinkle remaining birista, 3 tbsp ghee and a few drops of rose water.
Seal and cook: Cover the pot tightly with a lid sealed with dough. Cook on high heat 5 minutes, then on very low heat for 35 minutes.
Rest: Turn off heat. Do not open for 10 minutes.
Open and serve: Open the seal at the table. Gently mix from the bottom. Serve with raita and brinjal salad.