Vegetable Badam Tehri (Biryani) has its origins from the era of Indian royal kings. It is a very scrumptious, aromatic and lavish dish which is truly passed on as a rich culinary legacy. Indeed it requires a bit more of time and hard work than the usual rice preparations but then trust me, the end result is worth all the efforts.
The Vegetable Badam Tehri is a perfect medley of delectable flavors and appetite inducing aromas with a variety of soft-sweet vegetables, long grain rice, authentic spices and rich paste of almond. It is a multi-step process where I first boiled the rice, took a healthy bunch of vegetables and cooked it in some fiery Indian spices like cardamom, shahi masala, saffron, mint to get the brilliance of bold flavors and aroma and lastly prepared a sweet composition of almonds, milk, rose water and cream called as Tehri.
With Tehri kept in between, the appeal to the biryani is added by pristinely arranging the vegetables and rice in layers and further garnishing it with some cilantro and flowers. The Vegetable Badam Tehri (Biryani) is undoubtedly a flavorful, fragrant and filling dish. Make it on a holiday for lunch and serve it piping hot to experience the genuine old-time regal touch of meals!
STEP BY STEP VIDEO:
Vegetable Badam Tehri (Biryani), an aromatic dish from the era of royal Indian kings. It is a medley of delectable flavors and appetite inducing aromas with a variety of soft-sweet vegetables, long grain rice, authentic spices and rich almond paste. Perfect for a party or festive occasion.
- 4 cups rice , boiled
- 1 tbsp ghee
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp mint , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp cilantro , finely chopped
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 star anise
- 1 black cardamom
- pinch of mace  (javitri)
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 tsp ginger , grated
- 1 tsp green chilies , minced
- 1 cup potatoes , diced
- 1/4 cup bell peppers
- 1 cup mix vegetables  of your choice - corn, beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower
- 1 cup paneer , cubed
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1/4 cup cream
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp special shahi masala  (click on link for recipe or see recipe notes below)
- 1/4 tsp mango powder
- 2 tbsp water
- salt , to taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp green chilies , minced
- 1 tsp ginger
- 3 tbsp almond paste
- 1/4 kasoori methi , crushed
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 cup cream
- pinch of saffron
- 1/2 tsp special shahi masala  (click on link for recipe or see recipe notes below)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- salt  to taste
- pinch of turmeric powder
- pinch of saffron
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 tsp rose water
- mint , chopped
- cilantro , chopped
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In a saucepan, heat up some ghee, cumin seeds, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, and rice. Toss it together lightly and top it off with mint and cilantro.
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Heat a heavy bottom saucepan on medium heat and add in ghee, cumin seeds, bay leaves, dried red chili, star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger, green chili paste, black cardamom, mace, green cardamom, and cloves. Let the spices roast for 2 minutes and add in potatoes. Sauté for 2 more minutes and then add in water and salt and cover the pot until the potatoes are fork tender.
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Add in tomato purée and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Put in the bell peppers, all the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. Now, add paneer and cook for a few more minutes. Add in salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, mango powder, shahi masala, and cream. Cook for a few more minutes and the vegetables are ready!
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Take another pan and add ghee, ginger, and green chili paste. Sauté it for a few minutes and add the almond paste. Lower the flame so the paste doesn’t burn, but the water evaporates. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then add kasoori methi and cook again.
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Take out 1 tsp milk and soak the saffron in it. Leave this mixture aside. Put the rest of the milk and cream into the pan and let it cook for 5-7 minutes until the tehri starts to thicken in low flame. Add in saffron milk that was prepared a little while ago. Now finish it off with the salt, sugar, turmeric powder, and shahi masala. Simmer for 1-2 more minutes and the tehri is ready.
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Grease the serving dish (preferably a bundt cake pan), which should be heat safe. Soak the saffron and rose water in the milk and set aside. First, form a layer with half the rice and then make the second with all of the vegetables. Sprinkle half of the milk mixture of saffron and rose on top of the vegetables generously and then top it off with some mint and cilantro. Add in the second half of the rice and rest of the saffron-milk mixture.
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Put a layer of aluminum foil on top for when you heat it in a microwave (or oven). When you’re ready to serve it, turn the biryani onto a plate and pour the tehri in the hole. Please note that the tehri should be warm and poured only when you are ready to serve, otherwise it will become dry. Garnish with cilantro and some chopped almonds and pistachios.
Recipe Video
- Special Shahi Masala recipe is available on my blog at https://naturallynidhi.com/2018/10/29/shahi-masala/
- I prefer using a bundt cake pan, where the tehri fills up the hole in the middle. This presentation will wow! everyone at the party.
- If you don't have a bundt pan, set the biryani in a regular pan and use a glass in the middle to create the hole.
- Adjust the quantity of rice based on your container.Â
- Don't add too much ghee in the vegetables, otherwise it will seep out into the tehri.
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