Vegetable Tehri is an aromatic North Indian rice dish made with Basmati rice, vegetables and spice powders. Often described as Awadhi version of Pulao, but with a homely, mild spices and flavours. The yellow hue from turmeric gives the unique colour with combination of ghee, whole spices and powders it turns out perfect.
Tehri or Tahari is often prepared in households when people want to keep it simple and light. Especially during winter, it is a soul warming dish.
Check out my other Pulao recipes and this Boondi raita recipe in this website.
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What is Tehri?
Tehri (also spelled as Tahari/ Tahri), originates from Awadhi cuisine, a cooking style from Lucknow and regions of Uttar Pradesh. It is supposed to be a homely version of rice that is neither too mild like a pulao nor complicated like a Biryani. This Tehri is a humble version of rice prepared with winter vegetables like cauliflower, peas, carrots and potatoes.
It is not as heavy as Biryani, not as plain as pulao. Tehri sits beautifully in between, bursting with yellow colour and enough spices.
I came to know about Tehri post covid as Awadhi pulao, but thought it is same as pressure cooker Biryani we make quickly households. But wanted to give it a try and this is different in taste and as I always want small variations in such variety rice I make.
Tehri Ingredients
Here are the ingredients used to make Veg Tehri.
- Basmati rice – Use good quality, aged rice for best results. I used India gate Classic (not sponsored)
- Onion – Adds flavour, taste
- Tomato – Balances taste with a mild tang
- Green chillies – For spice and flavour
- Lemon juice – Helps with separate grains as well as balancing the spices
- Coriander leaves – For garnish, which gives a great flavour.
- Salt
- Potato
- Cauliflower florets
- Beans
- Carrot
- Peas
- Oil or Ghee
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Shahi jeera
Please see recipe card belwo for quantities.
Step by step pictures
Let’s see how to make vegetable Tehri.
- Wash and soak 1 cup Basmati rice in 1 & ¾ cups of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep cauliflower immersed in Hot water plus salt until use.
- Heat a pressure cooker with 2 tablespoons of Oil or Ghee. Add tempering items – 1 inch Cinnamon, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves and ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds or Shahi jeera.
- Then add a sliced Onion.
- Saute until it gets soft, golden here and there.
- After that, add 1 teaspoon of ginger Garlic paste and 2 slit green chillies. Cook for 30 seconds
- Add 1 cubed Tomato.
- Then add all the chopped vegetables. Mix until oil coats all vegetables
- Cook for 4 minutes covered in low flame. Mix inbetween.
- Then add all the spice powders – ¼ teaspoon Turmeric, ½ teaspoon each red chilli powder and coriander powder.
- Give it a quick mix to coat.
- After that, add the soaked rice along with water.
- Then add required salt and ½ teaspoon Lemon juice.
- Mix well in high flame.
- Boil in high flame until the rice is half done. You will be able to see the rice on top.
- Then level it and put the flame to low.
- Cook in lowest flame possible for 12-14 minutes.
- Once done, fluff gently from the sides. That is, turn the rice like flipping. Do not mix to break.
- Finally, add chopped coriander leaves to the Tehri for garnishing.
Serve hot with a Simple raita with roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder sprinkled or with Boondi Raita.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use only Potatoes and Peas for a traditional Awadhi style tehri rice.
- Though Ghee is used in most households, you can make it with oil too. For flavour add a teaspoon of ghee at the end.
- Instead of making Tehri recipe in cooker, you can make it in a pan with lid too. Make sure it has a fairly fitting lid.
- Long grain rice is used in North India, but you can use short grain rice too, just make sure it is aged and not sticky when cooked.
- You can make it without onion too.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds powder for a flavour twist.
Storage
Stays good for 8 hours in room temperature and 48 hours in refrigerator. Sprinkle water while reheating to retain moisture and remain soft.
Top Tip
Soaking rice in hot water helps with long grains.
Add salt in such a way that if you taste the water after adding salt, it should be slightly saltier, then after cooking, rice will be balanced just right.
Once the rice is done, keep the stirring minimal for long grain of rice.
My notes
- You can pressure cook in medium flame for two whistles instead of putting the flame to lowest like me.
- I used crushed ginger garlic, so it looks more. Using fresh ginger garlic gives best flavour.
- Please adapt the cooking method as per your convenience, whether whistle method or cooking in low flame. My stove allows me to get the flame lowest, so never get burnt in bottom.
- Even the vessel material matters to avoid burnt bottom.
- Patience is key, cook in low heat.
FAQ
Tehri is UP style yellow rice prepared with vegetables and spice powders. Pulao is milder than Tehri. Biryani is more spicier and cooked in layers.
Recipe card
Vegetable Tehri Recipe | Veg Tahri
Vegetable Tehri is an aromatic North Indian rice dish made with Basmati rice, vegetables and spice powders. Often described as Awadhi version of Pulao, but with a homely, mild spices and flavours.
Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1 Onion sliced
- 1 Tomato cubed
- 2 Green chillies slit
- ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- Coriander leaves
- Salt
Vegetables for Tehri
- 1 Potato
- 10 pieces Cauliflower florets
- 8 Beans
- 1 carrot
- ¼ cup Peas
To temper
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Piece Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Shahi Jeera or Cumin seeds
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Instructions
-
Wash and soak 1 cup Basmati rice in 1 & ¾ cups of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep cauliflower immersed in Hot water plus salt until use.
-
Heat a pressure cooker with 2 tablespoons of Oil or Ghee. Add tempering items – 1 inch Cinnamon, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves and ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds or Shahi jeera.
-
Then add a sliced Onion.
-
Saute until it gets soft, golden here and there.
-
After that, add 1 teaspoon of ginger Garlic paste and 2 slit green chillies. Cook for 30 seconds
-
Add 1 cubed Tomato.
-
Then add all the chopped vegetables. Mix until oil coats all vegetables
-
Cook for 4 minutes covered in low flame. Mix inbetween.
-
Then add all the spice powders – ¼ teaspoon Turmeric, ½ teaspoon each red chilli powder and coriander powder.
-
Give it a quick mix to coat.
-
After that, add the soaked rice along with water.
-
Then add required salt and ½ teaspoon Lemon juice.
-
Mix well in high flame.
-
Boil in high flame until the rice is half done. You will be able to see the rice on top.
-
Then level it and put the flame to low.
-
Cook in lowest flame possible for 12-14 minutes.
-
Once done, fluff gently from the sides. That is, turn the rice like flipping. Do not mix to break.
-
Finally, add chopped coriander leaves to the Tehri for garnishing.
Video
Notes
- Soaking rice in hot water helps with long grains.
- Add salt in such a way that if you taste the water after adding salt, it should be slightly saltier, then after cooking, rice will be balanced just right.
- Once the rice is done, keep the stirring minimal for long grain of rice.
