Raita is salad, relish, dip, and side dish in one. Yogurt-based, it usually includes something sharp to balance the sour blandness: onion, spices, mustard, even chiles. (It’s most closely associated with India, but similar mixtures are made in the Middle East.) The recipe here is the basic foundation of many raitas and is usually not eaten as is but added to according to preference. There are infinite variations, of which the ones that follow are among the most popular. All balance spicy curries well but are also good eaten on their own or as a dip for flatbreads, like those on pages 559–565.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy. If it remains thick and stiff, thin it with a little water and continue whisking.
Step 2
Stir in the sugar, cumin, mustard, and salt, along with any of the combined ingredients that follow.
Cucumber-Mint Raita
Step 3
Stir 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves into the yogurt. Season to taste with black pepper and salt if necessary.
Tomato Raita
Step 4
Stir 1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and diced, 1 onion, peeled and diced, and 1 small hot green chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, into the yogurt. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and season to taste with cayenne or pure chile powder, like ancho or New Mexico.
Mixed-Vegetable Raita
Step 5
Stir 1 cup diced fresh vegetables, like bell pepper, celery, radish, or fennel, into the yogurt. Season to taste with black pepper and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
Beet Raita
Step 6
Stir 1/2 cup cooked, peeled, and diced beets and 1 small hot green chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, into the yogurt. Season to taste with black pepper and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
Potato Raita
Step 7
Stir 2 potatoes, cooked, peeled, and diced, and 1 small hot green chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, into the yogurt. Season to taste with hot paprika and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
Chickpea Raita
Step 8
Stir 1 cup cooked or drained canned chickpeas and 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes into the yogurt. Season to taste with black pepper.
Banana-Coconut Raita
Step 9
A sweet raita, good with very spicy dishes: Omit the sugar and substitute about 1 teaspoon garam masala (page 594) or curry powder for the cumin and mustard. Add 1/4 cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut and 2 ripe bananas, peeled and not-too-thinly sliced. Add chopped fresh mint leaves and a little bit of cayenne, or to taste.
