Discover the art of crafting the perfect Raita with our versatile recipe featuring 12 delicious, healthy, and refreshing variations. Elevate your dining experience by serving this delightful condiment with biryani, pulao, kebabs, or any Indian meal of your choice.
In the quest for a refreshing coolant after indulging in the fiery spices of a robust lunch, look no further than Raita. This culinary gem, made with curd (Indian yogurt) and an array of spices, herbs, vegetables, and sometimes fruits, not only cools the palate but also adds layers of flavor to your kebabs, biryanis, pulao, parathas, and virtually any meal. Embrace the versatility of Raita as it transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, making every bite a culinary adventure.
Most Indian home meals will include the quick to whip-up raita. But why stop with Indian dishes! This curd dish makes a good dipping and serving sauce for fried snacks like falafel, burger patties and barbecues.
What is Raita?
Raita is a side dish from Indian Cuisine, made with yogurt, spices, herbs, vegetables and sometimes even with fruits. It is an integral part of Indian meal menus. Call it what you like – raita, pachadi, curd dip, or the Indian cousin of Greek tzatziki, this yogurt condiment is healthy and adaptable.
Summers in India are synonyms with cooling foods from seasonal fruit and ice cream to lassi, chaas, kadhi and raita.
From a no-fuss recipe with onions and seasoning to complex dishes with cooked vegetables and garnishes, this dish comes in varied flavors.
Tips for Making The Perfect Raita
If you think this dish is the domain of someone who can eat or tolerate dairy, you’re in for a surprise. They taste just as great when you use plant-based yogurt. You control what goes into it, but here are a couple of ideas to help you make an excellent raita every single time.
Ensure you use fresh ingredients whether it’s the curd or veggies and spices.
Use store bought yogurt if you’re pressed for time, but raita made with homemade curd is another level of yum.
Avoid sour yogurt as it will ruin the flavor profile, unless you’re a big fan of sour foods.
Don’t add too much of spices. We want the basic tang of the yogurt to shine through. A little spice goes a long way.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get to actual raita making.
Raita Recipe
Ingredients
- 375 g (1.5 cups) full-fat Greek yoghurt, unsweetened
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 medium cucumber, deseeded and finely diced (reserve the seeds)
- ½ cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp raw sugar
- 60 ml (0.25 cups) chilled water
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Add yoghurt to a medium bowl. Add chopped onion, cucumber, tomato, coriander and cucumber seed to the yoghurt. Mix well.
- Add salt, pepper and sugar. Mix well.
- Toast cumin seeds in a hot, dry pan on medium heat for a few seconds until they start to turn a shade darker and crackle. Remove from heat. Add to the raita.
- Add chilled water, a little at a time while mixing gently until you get the consistency you desire. Your raita should be thick and creamy.
- Chill the raita in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Yoghurt – Use the thickest full-fat yoghurt you can find. Make sure your yoghurt is unsweetened. Buffalo yoghurt, sheep’s yoghurt or goat’s yoghurt works really well too because they all have a beautiful tang. If using goat’s yoghurt, skip or reduce the amount of water as goat’s yoghurt tends to be runny.
- Make It Vegan – by subbing regular yoghurt with unsweetened coconut yoghurt.
- Cucumber – Use a fresh, firm and green Lebanese cucumber. Cut in half lengthways. Scoop and reserve the seeds. Dice the cucumber finely and add it to raita along with the scooped seeds.
- Onion and Tomato – Chop onion finely. Deseed tomatoes before dicing into tiny pieces.
- Garnish – Elevate flavour by sprinkling a pinch of ground cumin and ground chilli to your finished raita before serving.