• ½ kg basmati rice or 500 grams , (2 ½ cups)
• 1 onion , large , thinly sliced about 1 heaped cup (or handful of fried onions)
• ¼ cup ghee
• 4 cloves
• 1 bay leaf , small, / tej patta
• 4 green cardamoms / elaichi
• 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks / dalchini
• ½ shahi jeera / caraway seeds
• ½ tsp kewra water
• 2 drops meeta attar (optional) (prefer organic)
• 3 to 4 green chilies
• 1 Pinch saffron , soaked in 1 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp cream
• 1 ½ cup mint or pudina chopped (not used in authentic awadhi biryani, but some places they are used)

To Marinate

• 1 kg chicken or lamb meat (bone-in)
• 1 ½ gram cinnamon / dalchini
• 6 green cardamoms / elaichi
• ½ tsp cloves / lavang
• 2 bay leaves / tej patta
• ¾ tsp salt or as needed
• ½ tsp cardamom powder / eliachi powder
• 150 grams curd , or ¾ cup, / yogurt (semi thick) (do not use sour)
• 1 ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste or ginger juliennes
• ½ tsp Yellow chili powder , ( Substitute with Red chilli powder)
• 1 pinch mace powder , or substitute with 2 to 3 strands of mace / javitri
• 1 tsp rose water
• ½ tsp kewra water

For cooking rice

• ½ tsp shahi jeera
• 1 to 2 bay leaf (optional)
• 2 to 4 green cardamoms / elaichi (optional)
• Cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tsp salt or as needed