Indian Raita recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Indian raita made of? ›

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.

According to PopSugar.com, tzatziki tends to be a fairly straightforward mixture consisting of crisp cucumbers, yogurt, and fresh herbs (dill, mint, parsley). Meanwhile, raita is more varied and can contain carrots, fruit, and spices. Both are dips/sauces intended to accompany other foods.

Raita is a side dish in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, or in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan (chickpea flour, generally labeled as gram flour).

Raita can also be deployed beyond Indian cuisine. You can eat it by itself as a savory yogurt snack; you can use it as a marinade for chicken; you can serve it as a side or topping to any hearty dish in need of a light accompaniment—lamb chops, fried things, stuffed breads, roasted vegetables.

Curd or dahi is called yogurt in the United States. Yogurt is a commercialized product that is made from milk that has been heat-treated to kill live bacteria. Dahi is a traditional yogurt that is made from cow's milk, buffalo milk, or goat milk.

Raita is prepared using curd, which is high in protein and low in unhealthy fats. It makes for a perfect aid for digestion and weight loss. Losing weight is not an easy task.

Meaning of raita in English. a South Asian dish consisting of yogurt with very small pieces of raw (= not cooked) vegetables mixed in: Raita has a cooling effect on the mouth, which makes it a good accompaniment for spicy Indian dishes.

What Type of Yogurt do We Use in Indian Cooking? Commonly, Indian people use yogurt in cooking. This type is called 'Dahi,' which uses Indian cuisine. It adds a creamy and light texture to the dishes without weighing them down.

Raita is a yogurt-based gluten-free side dish served with Indian meals and is similar to Tzatziki, a Greek yogurt side dish. Cooling raita complements spicy Indian foods such as curries, vegetables, dals, and biryanis. The main ingredients for raita include yogurt, veggies or fruit, and herbs.

Biryani contains carbohydrates that aid in the production of tryptophan, while the yogurt-based raita provides calcium, which helps the brain convert tryptophan into melatonin. The combination of flavors and textures in biryani can be satisfying and soothing, making it a delightful option for a peaceful night's sleep.

Why does raita serve with tandoori? ›

It is similar to Greek tzatsiki, a cucumber and yogurt dip or sauce. Raita cools the heat when you eat spicy food. There is some science behind this. The casein in yogurt neutralizes the capsaicin in chilis.

Serve right away or store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Onion raita is a popular Raita variety often made & served in the South Indian homes and restaurants. It is always eaten with a biryani, pulao and also with kurma & meat dishes. It is also known as perugu pachadi or perugu chutney in Telugu & Thayir pachadi in Tamil.

People across India consume curd post meal or as part of meal for boosting their digestive health and immunity. From curd rice, raita, dahi-cheeni to yoghurt, there are many ways of consuming this milk product.

That said, it's always made with yogurt—typically plain, full-fat yogurt—spices, and some kind of fruit or vegetable that will add heft and texture to the creamy spiced yogurt. Some people finish the raita with a handful of fresh herbs or even fresh, hot chilies.

At its core, raita is yogurt that's been mixed with a little bit of sugar, spices, and oftentimes vegetables and other textural components. When done right, raita has an addictive salty-sweet quality to it—it's the cooling foil to all of the hearty, warm spice-laden flavors of many Indian dishes.

Raita is a nutrient dense food with high quality protein and it is a potential source of vitamins and minerals. It contains live bacteria such i.e., lactobacillus bulgaricus, streptococcus thermophilus. 3. These active bacteria act as probiotics known to have positive effects on digestion.