Cut chicken into big pieces, removing skin.

Grind spices: mace, round chilies, black cardamom, star anise, green cardamom, cloves, carom seeds, powdered nutmeg, calazira, black peppercorns, and fennel seeds.

Thinly slice red onions.

Fry onions in half a cup of oil until browned and caramelized. Reserve some onions for topping.

Add ginger and garlic paste to the pot with the remaining onions and oil.

Add three tablespoons of the spice mix.

Add two bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, red chili powder, and turmeric.

Add dried plums.

Add tomatoes.

Add Desi yogurt.

Add cubed potatoes.

Add two-thirds of the fried onions back into the chicken masala.

Wash long grain basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak for 30 minutes to an hour.

Boil the rice for about five minutes until 80% done, then strain.

Lightly salt the chicken.

Assemble the biryani in layers: one-third of the rice, half the chicken, one-third of the mint and cilantro, a couple of lemon slices.

Add the second third of rice, the remaining half of the chicken, the second third of mint and cilantro, and more lemon slices.

Add the last layer of rice, the remaining herbs, the reserved fried onions, and lemon.

Make divots in the rice and pour food coloring into them.

Cover the pot with a lid wrapped in a kitchen towel.

Steam the biryani on the lowest flame (dum) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let the biryani rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking.

Fluff the rice from the sides.

Serve biryani with raita.