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Closeup of Indian raita served in a white bowl topped with coriander or cilantro.
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4.91 from 10 votes

Indian Raita - How to make it and its many variations!

Raita is a delicious Indian side that has a cooling effect. It's made with whisked plain yogurt and is really versatile - so you can add your favorite mix ins to it. Its similar to tzatziki but not as thick and can be made sweet or savory.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dips, Dressings & Sauces
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6 Portions
Author: Richa

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Thick plain Yogurt Note 1
  • 1 teaspoon Salt Note 2
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • 1 Green Chilli finely chopped (or Serrano Pepper optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1 Onion finely chopped (small)
  • 2 Persian Cucumbers finely chopped
  • 1 Tomato finely chopped (large )
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Loosely packed Cilantro finely chopped (Note 3)

Instructions

  • Whisk together yogurt, salt, cumin powder, green chilli and chilli powder till smooth. Add all the vegetables and mix well.
  • Refrigerate for half an hour before serving. You will notice after refrigeration that the veggies will leave a little water. Just give it a quick mix and you are ready to go.

Notes

  1. Use fresh yogurt or curd that is not sour. If using day old yogurt or curd, be sure to taste before using. You also won't be able to store it for longer if you are using sour curd or yogurt. 
  2. Plain yogurt can be easily replaced with greek yogurt, but since its thicker, add a little water to dilute it. 1/4 cup water for this recipe should be enough.
  3. Raitas are usually mildly salted. Feel free to increase the amount of salt, and adjust according to taste. You can also add a bit of black salt and/or chaat masala for a bit more umami.
  4. If you are going to serve raita anywhere after two hours, add the coriander just before serving so that you can preserve its fresh flavours.
  5. Raita can be made the previous night or in the morning and refrigerated easily for 8-10 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 1mg