
Tehri Recipe | Tahri (Vegetable Rice)
Hailing from the culinary traditions of Uttar Pradesh, Tehri, also recognized as Tahri or Tehari, is a single-pot vegetable rice delicacy. It boasts of aromatic basmati rice, a medley of vegetables, and a harmonious blend of spices.
Ingredients
Veggies To Add
- 1 cup tightly packed chopped potatoes – 200 to 210 grams or 2 large potatoes
- 2 cups chopped cauliflower florets – 200 to 210 grams
- ½ cup chopped carrots – 115 grams or 2 medium-sized
- ⅓ cup chopped french beans – 50 grams or 12 to 14 french beans
- ½ cup green peas – fresh or frozen
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- 1 cup sliced onions (heaped) – 175 grams or 3 medium-sized onions
- ¾ cup chopped tomatoes 155 grams or 3 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger + 6 to 7 medium garlic cloves – crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- 3 green chilies – slit
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.5 cups basmati rice – 300 grams
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kewra water or rose water, optional
- 2.5 to 3 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
Whole Spices To Add
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 4 green cardamoms
- 2 black cardamoms
- 4 to 5 cloves
- 2 inches cinnamon
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse basmati rice in water very well till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice and keep the soaked rice grains aside.
- Rinse and soak 2 cups medium-sized cauliflower florets in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes.
- This blanching step is optional and only to get rid of any insects or worms in the cauliflower.
- After blanching the cauliflower, drain all the water. Set the blanched cauliflower aside. Also chop the rest of the veggies and set aside.
Making Vegetable Tehri
- Heat ghee in a thick bottomed deep pot or pan. Instead of ghee you can also use mustard oil or sunflower oil.
- Keep the heat to low so that the ghee does not burn.
- Next add the following spices and fry till the spices splutter and become fragrant – tej patta, green cardamoms, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon.
- Add the sliced onions. Stir and begin to sauté the onions.
- Sautéing the onions take a lot of time. Thus add a pinch of salt for quick cooking of the onions.
- Sauté till the onions become golden.
- Then add ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
- Add chopped tomatoes. Sauté the tomatoes for a minute or two.
- Next add diced potatoes. Sauté the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.
- Next add chopped carrots, chopped french beans , fresh or frozen green peas and the cauliflower florets.
- Mix the veggies with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander leaves, green chilies, red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
- Stir and mix to combine the ground spices. Add lemon juice.
- Then add the rice. Mix the rice grains gently and evenly with the masala and sauté for a minute.
Cooking Tahri
- Pour 2.5 to 3 cups water. You can also add 1 teaspoon rose water or kewra water at this step. Season with salt as needed.
- Cover the pan with a tight lid. If you want you can also seal the pan with an aluminium foil and then cover the pan with a lid.
- On a low heat, cook the tehri till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are fluffy and soft.
- If the rice grains are undercooked and all the water has been absorbed, add a about a few tablespoons of hot water or as needed. Cover and continue to cook.
- It took me 20 minutes for the rice to cook. Time will vary depending on the size and volume of pan, the thickness of pan, flame intensity etc.
- Once done, give a resting time of 5 minutes. Then gently fluff and serve vegetable tehri with a raita or plain curd.
Nutrition
Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 10gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 470mgPotassium: 829mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5583IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 3mg
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