Raita, also known as yogurt sauce, is used as side dishes in everyday Indian cuisine. It can be eaten with rice or any bread type. Poori is a great combination too. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make basic raita.
Ingredients
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Basic cucumber raita
- 2 cups plain yoghurt
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1/2 cucumber, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Garam masala powder (optional)
- Handful fresh mint or pinch dried mint or dill (optional)
- Cumin seeds/powder (optional)
- Ground red chiles (optional)
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Spicy raita
- 2 small salad onions
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 green chillies
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Basic cucumber raita
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Thin out the yoghurt with 1/2-3/4 cup of water or buttermilk. It should have the consistency of pancake batter. Don't worry if you made it too thin, add more yoghurt.
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Grate the cucumber. You may choose to peel it or not, it is a personal preference. Squeeze as much as the water from the cucumber as you can. Alternatively, you could also chop the cucumber into small pieces. Add it to the yoghurt mixture. Stir well.Advertisement
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Add a generous pinch of salt, black pepper to taste. You can also add a generous pinch of garam masala and/or a small handful of mint finely chopped or generous pinch of dried mint.
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Add cumin seeds or powder. About 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds will add texture. If you want a stronger flavor, you can slightly dry toast the seeds before you add them.
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Stir well for the final time.
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Add a touch of spice. For an enhanced visual appeal, you can sprinkle a small pinch of ground red chillies or some cilantro.
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Refrigerate until serving time. Raita tastes best when served chilled.Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
Spicy raita
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Cut onions, tomatoes, cucumber (optional) and green chillies into small pieces.
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Add them to 1/2 cup of yoghurt.
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Add 1/2 tsp of ground cumin and salt to taste.
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Mix thoroughly.
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Take a pan and heat oil.
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Add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds.
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Fry the seeds for a few seconds until they start popping.
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Take off from heat and add immediately to the prepared yogurt.
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Mix well until all ingredients are uniformly distributed.
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Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour before serving.Advertisement
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Tips
- Get all ingredients and equipment ready before starting.Thanks
- Add some cilantro to garnish before serving.Thanks
- For method 1, you can add corn, potatoes, tomatoes, grated carrots. Try the ingredient mix that suits you.Thanks
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Warnings
- Keep a lid in hand to avoid mustard seeds from popping into you.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing implement
- Frying pan and spatula
About this article
Article Summary
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To make raita, mix plain yogurt with milk or buttermilk until it has the consistency of pancake batter. Next, grate or finely chop a cucumber and squeeze as much of the water out as you can, then stir it into the yogurt mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir in cumin seeds or cumin powder. Stir well, then sprinkle a little red chili powder or cilantro on top as a garnish, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve! Keep reading to learn how to make spicy raita!
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