Mutton Tehri

It’s quite complicated or let’s say the difference between Biryani and Tehri is quite subtle which can therefore be quite confusing. To begin with, both are rice dishes popular in South Asia which are cooked on dum or steam. While the former has its origins in Persia, the latter’s ancestry is rather unknown, though many point towards the gharana of Awadhi cuisine. While biryani’s two main components are rice and meat (there’s ‘veg biryani’ as well, whatever that means!) it is believed that Tehri was considered to be the veg variant of the meaty Biriyani, crafted for the Hindu accountants of the Muslim nawabs in India. As with every dish, the Tehri too has undergone mutations which is visible in its mutton, chicken and beef versions in places like Pakistan, Bangladesh and parts of India. No longer is it restricted to the veg palette alone just as Biriyani is no longer limited to meat lovers. To cut a long story short, in Biriyani, the rice is added to the meat while in Tehri, it’s the meat which is added to rice. The masala is different too where Biriyani entails an elaborate mix of spices while the Tehri is limited to a few only. And the taste differs as well. Tehri is supremely delicate which will leave you with less greasier palms than the biryani. So here’s presenting the Old Dhaka style mutton Tehri which in my mother tongue sounds like this, ‘puraan dhakar motton tehari.’ If you have the patience to slow cook the mutton for close to two hours, (no pressure cookers) then it’s a dish worth making. And eating too. And the gustatory rewards would leave you with a feeling of a-ha! Happy Sunday 🙂