How to Make Vegetable Yogurt Rice (Vegetable Tahari)
I like to cook and eat natural, healthy, and tasty foods, and I enjoy sharing recipes from my native Indian cuisine.
An Excellent Breakfast or Lunch
Vegetable tahari is a tasty and nurtritious meal with plenty of vegetables, whole spices, and curds. It is a special Avadhi dish from Uttar Pradesh, India.
Making this dish is very easy; it is a one-pot meal that can be made in just 40 minutes. I used French beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, but you can add or omit vegetables as you like.
This dish pairs well with cucumber-onion raita on the side. You can pack this dry food in a lunch box for school or a picnic, and enjoy the taste.
Now, let's learn how to make vegetable tahari.
Cook Time
Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
---|---|---|---|
20 min | 20 min | 40 min | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup basmati rice, washed, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 1/4 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1 potato, cubed
- 8 French beans, cut lengthwise
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1/4 tsp pepper powder
- 1 carrot, cubed
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, or 1/4 inch ginger crushed with 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup curds or yogurt, medium sour
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3-4 tsp oil, I used 2 tsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped, for garnishing
- 1/4 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder (optional)
- Pinch sugar (optional), to balance the flavors
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the rice well. Soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes and then strain.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker base or in a thick-bottomed pot. Add whole spices. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add green chilies and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a few seconds. You will get a nice aroma from the roasted spices.
- Throw in chopped onions. Saute them till they become translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes. Continue sauteing till they are a bit mushy.
- Add turmeric powder and chopped mint leaves. Saute for a while.
- Now, add vegetables. Throw in some salt. Mix well with the other ingredients. Saute on a medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add whisked curds. Stir the mix well. Let the mix boil for 1 minute.
- Add soaked rice. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add about 4 cups of water. Bring the mix to a boil.
- Add remaining salt, sugar (optional), pepper powder, and amchur powder (optional). Boil the mix for 2-3 minutes.
- Now, close the pressure cooker lid. Place the weight. Cook till 2 whistles. Simmer for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Once the entire pressure releases naturally, open the lid. Fluff it with a fork.
- Serve as is, garnished with chopped coriander leaves, or serve with a cucumber-onion raita on the side. Enjoy this healthy and appetizing main course!
Photo Guide

Step three: Throw in chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, and slit green chilies. Continue sauteing till onions turn translucent.

Step four: Throw in chopped tomatoes, mint leaves, and turmeric powder. Saute till tomatoes become a bit mushy.

Step eight: Add about 4 cups of water. Bring the mix to a boil. Add remaining salt, pepper powder, sugar (optional), amchur powder (optional). Boil it for 2-3 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Step nine: Close the lid. Put cooker weight. Cook up to 2 whistles. Simmer for 4 minutes. Next, turn off the heat.