Browntop Millet Prawn Tehari

By: Swati Bhaduri
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3 servings
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In Bangladesh, Tehari is a rice preparation primarily featuring mutton or beef along with spices. A hint of mustard oil is evident in the flavour, the dish often savoured with a wedge of Gondhoraj lemon or Rangpur lime, both known for their fragrance. Tehari is also popular in northern India and in Pakistan. In northern India, it is made as a vegetarian preparation, where long-grained rice is combined with seasonal vegetables and whole spices. This version is less spicy and reminds Swati Bhaduri of cold winter days when her mother made it as a one-pot dish for lunch with potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, green peas, and whole spices. Here, Swati uses browntop millet instead of rice and substitutes red meat with prawns to make a comparatively lighter meal for the summer. Browntop millet is an indigenous grain that is gluten-free and is rich in minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.

For the Tehari

Browntop millet, whole, soaked overnight � cup
Ghee 1 teaspoon
Salt 2 teaspoons
Turmeric 1 teaspoon
Prawns, peeled, deveined, and washed 1 cup

Onion, finely chopped � cup
Mustard oil � cup + 2 tablespoons
Baby potatoes, halved � cup
Bay leaves 2
Green cardamom 3
Black cardamom 1
Cloves 3
Green chillies 2
Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste 2 teaspoons
Green chilli paste 1 teaspoon
Green peas � cup
Red chilli powder � teaspoon
Tomato, chopped � cup
Curd, whipped � cup
Water 1 cup

For the Birista

Onion, sliced � cup

For the Tehari masala

Green cardamom 6
Cinnamon, whole 1 small stick
Nutmeg, crushed � teaspoon
Cumin seeds � teaspoon
Coriander seeds � teaspoon
Bayleaf 1
Mace � petal
Black cardamom 1

What You Will Need

A large bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a skillet, a spatula,a small kadhai or pot with a lid, a slotted spoon, a fine mesh strainer, a mixer grinder, a whisk.

Instructions

1

Wash the browntop millet under running water until the water runs clear. Soak the grains overnight. Rinse and strain them the next morning. Add � teaspoon of ghee to the drained millet and mix well. Set aside.

2

Dry-roast the whole spices mentioned under Tehari Masala for 1 minute and let them cool down to room temperature. Grind to a smooth powder and store in an airtight container. You can use the Tehari masala as required.

3

Rub salt and turmeric onto the prawns. Set aside.�

4

In a small kadhai or pot, fry the sliced onion in � cup of mustard oil. Stir occasionally until it turns brown. The browned onion slices are known as birista in Bengali, and used to top rice preparations. Remove the birista with a slotted spoon and set aside.

5

In the same pot, fry the baby potatoes till lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

 

6

Then fry the prawns lightly for 2 minutes, cooking them on each side. Set aside.

7

Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of mustard oil.

8

Add the bay leaves, green and black cardamom, and cloves and fry for a minute.

9

Add the finely chopped onions and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.

10

Now add the ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste. Stir well.

11

Add the green peas and cook for a minute.

12

Add the stir-fried potatoes, red chilli powder, and tomatoes. Mix well and cover to let the tomatoes cook until they soften and blend into the masala.

13

Lower the flame, add the whipped curd, Tehari masala powder, and gently fold in the curd.

14

Let this mixture simmer till the oil separates.

15

Add the browntop millet and mix well.

16

Add a cup of water and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, covered. The millet will be about 80 percent cooked at this point, so it will still have some bite.

17

Add the fried prawns and the remaining Tehari masala powder and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. The millet will be cooked fully with the prawns. Keep the flame on low.

18

Switch off gas after 5 minutes and keep the Tehari covered for 10 more minutes before opening the lid.

19

Garnish with the birista and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Tips

  1. Adding some ghee to the soaked and strained millet will prevent it from getting clumped.
  2. Do not fry the prawns for more than 2 minutes; this prevents them from getting rubbery.

Variations

You can use a protein of your choice to substitute the prawns with egg, chicken, mutton, or beef. You can also make a vegetarian version of the Tehari with seasonal vegetables.

Swati Bhaduri is a home chef based out of Kolkata. A former, Swati is the Mama behind cloud kitchen brand Mama Bear, and strongly believes in sustainable nutrition.

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