Tehri. So different from the Pulao I grew up eating in Delhi. A very simple dish, so subtle and yet a classic.
If you look up Wiki, Tehri (also called tahri, tehari or tayari) is a yellow rice dish in Awadhi cuisine. Tehri and tehari are variants of the name given to the vegetarian version of biryani. It can also be prepared with various types of meats and green peas.
I fell in love with it when I married and went to the city of Banaras for the very first time. My mother in law makes a really good one and serves it with her best chutneys and a side of some papad and raita.
Winter is definitely the best time to enjoy a good Tehri for obvious reasons; seasonal cauliflower and green peas are in plenty and at their very best. Sunny winter days are perfect for a hot Tehri lunch with a generous drizzle of ghee, some chutney, and papad for that crunch. Comfort food at its very best.
The use of khada masalas/ whole spices is distinctive of the preparation. It is believed to have first been created for the vegetarian book-keepers of Muslim Nawabs of the subcontinent.
Every region and family, of course, will definitely have their own version; this is the one I have grown to love and it is a savior on busy days.
Do let me know if you have any questions and/or if you try this family recipe.
Tehri
Ingredients
- 2 C Basmati Rice
- 1.5 C cauliflower florets
- 1.5 C potato wedges
- 1 large red onion
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 green chili
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp ghee
- a handful of coriander leaves
Instructions
- Wash and soak 2 cups of basmati rice in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes.
- In a pan, heat 1/2 tbsp mustard oil and pan fry 1.5 C each of cauliflower florets and potato wedges along with a pinch of salt. Let them toss around for a couple of mins only; do not brown. Keep aside.
- In the same pan, heat a tbsp ghee and add the drained rice. Toast it for a couple of minutes on medium flame. This step results in a delicious and indulgent Tehri.
- In a pressure cooker, heat 3-4 tbsp mustard oil till smoking hot. Lower the flame and thereafter, add 1 tsp cumin and 1 bay leaf. Stir.
- Now add 1 large finely sliced red onion and sauté till light golden brown. Add a green chili slit lengthwise. To this now add the potatoes & cauliflower and give it a mix.
- Now add the dry spices – 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2-1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder and give everything a good mix.
- Drain the rice and transfer to the pressure cooker along with 3C water (basically 1.5 times of the portion of rice); add salt to taste and give it a gentle mix.
- Optional – feel free to add more veggies like chopped carrots, beans, and/ or peas.
- Add a teaspoon of homemade garam masala at this stage. Close the lid and pressure cook on a medium flame for 1 whistle, only.
- Open only when the pressure is released, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and 1 tbsp of ghee.
- Serve hot with coriander chutney, some papad, and raita.
