Allahabad Tehri Vegetable Spiced Rice UP

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice — washed and soaked 30 minutes
• 2 medium potato — peeled and cubed
• 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 large onion — finely sliced
• 4 green cardamom — crushed, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaf
• 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 cup yogurt — beaten smooth
• 3.5 cups water
• salt to taste
• coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Fry onions until golden: Heat 3 tbsp ghee. Add sliced onions. Cook 10 minutes until golden-brown.
2. Add whole spices: Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir 20 seconds.
3. Add ginger and garlic: Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir 2 minutes.
4. Add potatoes and peas: Add cubed potato and peas. Stir to coat with spiced ghee. Cook 3 minutes.
5. Add spice powders: Turn low. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Stir 2 minutes.
6. Add yogurt: Add beaten yogurt. Stir well. Cook on low heat for 3 minutes until the yogurt is absorbed into the masala.
7. Add drained rice: Add the soaked, drained basmati rice. Stir gently to mix with the vegetables.
8. Add water and salt: Add 3.5 cups water and salt. Stir once. Bring to a full boil.
9. Cook covered on lowest heat: Reduce to lowest heat. Cover tightly. Cook 20 minutes.
10. Rest and serve: Turn off heat. Rest covered 5 minutes. Fluff gently. Garnish with coriander. Serve with raita.
11. Note: Tehri is the vegetarian rice preparation of Allahabad (now Prayagraj) — the historic junction city at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Tehri was developed as the vegetarian alternative to biryani — using the same dum technique and aromatic spices but with vegetables instead of meat. It is eaten throughout UP as both an everyday preparation and a festive meal for vegetarian occasions.