Allahabadi Tehri Recipe (UP Style Vegetable Rice)

Allahabadi Tehri Recipe is a very famous rice dish from the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a one pot meal made using rice and vegetables along with whole garam masala and yoghurt. It is cooked using mustard oil which gives this tehri that pungent flavour. The yoghurt adds the softness and slight tartness to the dish.  Course : Dinner Ingridients : 1-1/2 cup Basmati rice 1 cup Mixed vegetables , mix of potato, beans, carrot and cauliflower 1 cup Curd (Dahi / Yogurt) 1 Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) 1 Bay leaf (tej patta) 3 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds 1 Black cardamom 4 Whole Black Peppercorns 4 Cloves (Laung) 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing) 1 Onion , thinly sliced 4 cloves Garlic , roughly crushed 1 inch Ginger , roughy crushed 2 Green Chillies , slit 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder (Dhania) 1 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera) 2 tablespoons Mustard oil 2 teaspoon Ghee 2 teaspoons Lemon juice Salt , to taste Instructions To begin making the Allahabadi Tehri Recipe (UP Style Vegetable Rice), wash and soak the basmati rice for 10 minutes in water.Cut all the vegetables, namely potatoes, beans, cauliflower and carrots to similar size and keep aside.Heat mustard oil in a wide pan, and let it smoke.Add the asafoetida, whole garam masalas - cinnamon, bay leaf, green and black cardamoms, pepper corns and cloves and let the oil become fragrant.Now, add the sliced onions and saute until translucent.Now, roughly pound the ginger garlic using a mortar and pestle and add it to the pan, and saute until the raw smell goes away.Add the green chillies, turmeric, red chilli, cumin and coriander powder and saute for a minute.Add the cut vegetables and mix well till they turn a bit golden.Now, add the whisked yoghurt and saute until the mixute comes together.Add in the drained rice, 4 cups of water, season with salt and cover it with a lid to cook for 20 minutes untouched.Once its cooked, add in the ghee, lemon juice, gently mix everything together and switch off the flame.Serve the Allahabadi Tehri Recipe (UP Style Vegetable Rice) along with Mirchi Ka Salan and Burani Raita for the weeknight dinner.