In a large Dutch oven, combine rice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, broth and ½ teaspoon of salt over medium-high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
1-1/2 cups Basmati rice, 1/4 tsp Cardamon, 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/8 tsp Cloves, 2 cups Chicken broth
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant and well blended, 2 minutes.
2 Tbsp Butter, 1 ea Onion, thinly sliced, 6 oz Tomato paste
Push onion mixture to one side of the skillet and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the empty side. To the melted butter, add garlic, ginger, garam masala, cayenne, fennel, turmeric, star anise and ¼ teaspoon of cumin; stir until well blended, 30 seconds.
1 Tbsp Butter, 3 cloves Garlic, minced, 2 in Ginger, minced, 2 tsp Garam Masala, 1/4 tsp Cayenne, 1/4 tsp Fennel, 1/4 tsp Turmeric, 1 ea Star anise, 1/4 tsp Cumin
Mix the spices into the onion mixture until well combined, then add beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes (it will finish cooking with the rice). Turn off heat and stir in ¼ cup of yogurt until well incorporated.
1 lb Ground beef, 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
Drizzle milk evenly over the rice, then add the beef mixture on top in an even layer. Scatter over half of the cilantro, cover and cook until the beef is tender and rice is cooked through, 8 minutes longer.
1/4 cup Milk, 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the ½ cup yogurt, ¼ teaspoon cumin and 2 tablespoons of water and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 tsp Cumin
Gently fluff the rice with a fork and discard star anise. Divide biryani among 4 bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve warm, with the cumin raita on the side.