Tahri (Tehri)

Name: Tahri Recipe (Tehri)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 cups long grain basmati rice; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 tablespoon ghee (replace with oil for vegan); ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free); 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 3-4 cloves (laung); 4-6 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch); 2 whole black cardamoms (badi elaichi); 1 cup chopped onions; ½ cup chopped tomatoes; 1 cup green peas; 1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes (½-inch cubes); 2 cups cauliflower (cut into small florets and blanched); 3 teaspoons coriander powder; 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; ½ teaspoon garam masala powder; 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

By Neha Mathur

5 from 3 votes

on Jan 30, 2022, Updated Oct 05, 2023

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Make traditional UP-style Tahri (Tehri) using my easy recipe. This one-pot spiced vegetable rice dish combines a few simple ingredients (vegetarian).

If you are looking for more traditional UP-style recipes, try Mathura ke Dubki wale Aloo, Banarasi Chura Matar, and Matar Ka Nimona.

There is a small village called Chilla near the town I grew up in. The Ken River flows through this village. Every Sankranti, many of my parents’ doctor friends and their families would go there for a picnic. After a dip in the river, we were treated to piping hot Tahri with raita, chutney, and papad. This ritual continued for many years until the families moved out one by one because of the transferrable jobs. However, the good memories remained.

About Tahri (Tehri)

Tahri (Tehri or Tahari) is an easy and comforting one-pot meal from Uttar Pradesh (Awadhi cuisine) made using rice, vegetables, and basic spices.

It is made mostly in winter when fresh green peas and cauliflower are in season. Aloo Matar Gobhi ki Tahri is also made for the Sankranti festival.

It comes together using a few simple ingredients.

You can make tahri in a traditional pressure cooker, an instant pot, or over the stovetop. I share all three methods in the post below.

I make this tehri recipe in my 3-liter pressure cooker or a 3-quart instant pot. To scale the recipe, use a bigger cooker or instant pot, but the cooking time will remain the same.

Serve it with papad, boondi raita, pickle, and green chutney. Drizzle ghee on top to make it even more indulgent.

Ingredients

Rice – I prefer using long-grain basmati rice to make Tahri, as the grains are fluffy and separate after cooking. It is also very flavorful.

You can use any white rice that you have.

Vegetables – Traditionally, green peas, cauliflower, and potatoes are used to make Tahri, but feel free to add any vegetable you choose. Green beans, carrots, broccoli, etc., are some options.

Sometimes, cauliflower has tiny insects hidden inside the florets. To get rid of them, I like to blanch my cauliflower before using it.

Spice Powders – Spice up the tahri with basic everyday spice powders such as coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder.

Others – You will also need oil, ghee, asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, cloves (laung), whole black peppercorns (kali mirch), whole black cardamoms (badi elaichi), onions, and fresh tomatoes.

Avoid adding hing (asafetida) to make gluten-free tahri.

To make vegan tahri, replace ghee with oil. You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, or any cooking oil of your choice.

You can also add a teaspoon of rose water or a few drops of kewra essence.

How To Make Tahri

Rinse 2 cups of long-grain basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.

Soak it in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.

Oila nd ghee heating in a pressure cooker.

When the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and saute for 3-4 seconds.

Cumin and asafetida added to the cooker.

Add the following whole spices and saute for 4-5 seconds.

3-4 cloves
4-6 whole black peppercorns
2 black cardamoms

Add 1 cup chopped onions and cook till it turns slightly brown (5-6 minutes). Stir frequently while frying.

Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute.

Now add the following ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.

1 cup green peas
1 cup potatoes (peeled and cubed)
2 cups cauliflower (cut into small florets and blanched)

Add the following spice powders and cook for another minute.

3 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
2 teaspoon salt

Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pressure cooker.

Add 3 and ½ cups of water and stir gently.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat.

Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

Once the pressure is completely released, open the lid of the cooker.

Gently fluff the tahri using a fork and serve hot.

You can garnish the tehri with golden fried onions and chopped cilantro (coriander leaves).

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make tahri in an instant pot?

Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot.
Follow the steps until rice is added to the instant pot.
Add 2 and ¼ cups of water and stir gently.
Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot.
Gently fluff the tahri using a fork and serve hot.

How to make tahri in a pot over the stovetop?

Follow the steps until rice and water are added to the pot. Now, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid and is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff using a fork and serve hot.

How to blanch cauliflower?

To blanch the cauliflower, cut it into small florets. Heat 4-5 cups of water in a large pot. Once the water comes to a boil, add the cauliflower florets to the pot and cook for 30 seconds. If you see any worm floating on top of the water, discard it using a spoon. Drain the water and run the cauliflower under cold water. Drain well and use as desired.