Raita Recipe

Raita is a savory, slightly sour, and traditional Indian yogurt dip. It is usually made with yogurt (curd) fresh veggies, herbs, fruits, fried snacks, and basic spice powders. Raita is one of the best and easy-to-make side sauces that pair great with biryani recipes like chicken biryani, lamb biryani, pulaos, naan, roti, kebabs, and spicy curries. And the best part is you can make this dish really quick in under 10 minutes.

The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Raita with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home. I have also shared a detailed video below to make the process visually clear.

Jump to:

• What is Raita?
• Ingredients
• How to make Raita?
• Variations
• Tips
• Storage Suggestions
• Serving Suggestions
• Raita Recipe Video
• 📖 Recipe
• FAQ

What is Raita?

Raita is a creamy, savory, slightly sour, and classic Indian dip loaded with fresh cooling flavors. It is usually made with yogurt (curd), veggies, fresh herbs, spices, fruits, and crispy snacks like boondi. Raita is one of the easy-to-make refreshing sides and pairs perfectly with biryani, pulaos, spicy curries, kebabs, tikkas, and other Indian dishes.

No Biryani recipes are made complete without this simple Raita. Biryanis are usually spicy and filled with earthy flavors of Indian spices. So they are usually paired up with a refreshing yogurt side dish to cool down the heat.

Not only for biryani and pulaos, but you can also serve a few dollops of Raita into your favorite sandwiches, as a dip for your fried dishes, snacks, and more.

Since yogurt is a fine source of probiotics, it is good for digestion and gut health. Additionally, adding fresh produce such as veggies, fruits and herbs make this dip healthier.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need for Raita are basic fresh produce and some spices. And it should be easily available in most grocery stores around. So let's check what are they below.

• Yogurt - Plain whole milk yogurt delivers a rich, creamy, and thick texture. However, you can also use nonfat milk yogurt or any non-dairy yogurt of your choice
• Onion - I have used purple onion here, but yellow or white onion should be also fine
• Tomato - One medium small size tomato delivers vibrant color to your Raita
• Cucumber - Half cucumber which delivers the cooling effect and is also loaded with goodness
• Coriander Leaves - For fresh aroma and citrusy flavor notes
• Spice Powder - Cumin powder and paprika are used for garnishing but it also delivers a warm, earthy, and slightly close to the citrusy flavor profile
• Green Chili (optional) - It is optional and you could use or skip it. You can use it if you need spice bites in between

For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below

How to make Raita?

Here I have shared the recipe for Raita, a popular Indian dip or condiment. The recipe can be made with a combination of veggies, fruits, herbs, and spice powders. And the recipe shared below is a basic and easy-to-make yogurt dip or side sauce that pairs great with biryanis, pulao, naan, spicy curries, roti, and more.

Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.

• Chop onions - Chop 2 medium size onions into small pieces and add them to a bowl
• Grate Cucumber - Grate ½ of the cucumber using a vegetable grater and add it to the bowl as well. Use the largest shredding holes to grate the cucumber for raita
• Chop Tomato - Chop the tomato, 1 green chili, and a small bunch of coriander leaves. Add everything to the glass bowl as well. (note: make sure to wash the coriander leaves a few times in water and then remove the bottom thick stalk part of while chopping)
• Mix and Season - Now add 2 cups of thick plain whole milk yogurt to the vegetable mixture in the bowl and season with salt
• Adjust the quantity - Now give everything a good mix. (Note: You can also add more yogurt if required and also adjust the salt if required)
• Garnish - Finally, garnish the Raita with cumin powder and paprika. And now it is ready for you to taste and enjoy
• Serve - Serve this Raita as a dip or as a side with biryani recipes like chicken biryani, lamb biryani, shrimp biryani, vegetable biryani, pulao, roti, naan, tandoori chicken, and similar other Indian recipes

Variations

Raita is one of the creative and versatile dips that have a lot of variations. Even though the base of the recipe is similar, you can be creative by adding different veggies, fruits, and herbs.

Raita tastes great with a combination of veggies and fruits like onion, cucumber, mint, carrots, beetroot, and pomegranate. You can also use fried besan balls in the yogurt sauce to make boondi raita.

You can also make mint and coriander raita using a handful of these aromatic herbs in your yogurt sauce. There is also another variety called Burani Raita, in which some crushed garlic is added to the yogurt along with some ground black pepper, cumin, and salt.

Tips

• Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - Using a thick plain whole milk yogurt delivers the best taste and flavor to your raita. Always make sure not to add sour-tasting yogurt will spoil the taste of this dip
• Fresh Produce - Use fresh and quality veggies like onion, cucumber, and other herbs which are one of the keys to rich flavors
• Clean Herbs and Veggies - Fresh herbs like coriander and mint leaves usually have a lot of mud and debris, so always make sure to wash them thoroughly in water until it is clean
• Add Right Spices - Even though adding spices like cumin powder and paprika are optional only for garnishing purposes, they also render some taste to yogurt. So always start with a minimal amount like ¼ tsp which is good enough for 4 to 5 serving
• How to chop - You can chop the onions and veggies in either thin slices or small chunks. I usually prefer to make this recipe with small tiny chunks of onion and cucumber. Since grating cucumber is handy for me, I have grated it. And if you are planning to grate, then I recommend using the largest shredding holes that you typically use for grating cheese. But you can also chop it using your kitchen knife
• Make Ahead - This raita tastes great if it is made ahead of time. It helps the natural flavors from the onion, cucumber, and herbs to infuse in the yogurt sauce. So I recommend making and refrigerating it at least for 1 to 2 hours before serving
• Vegan-Friendly version - If you are looking for a vegan-friendly version, then you can always feel free to use your favorite non-dairy yogurt to make this Raita recipe

Storage Suggestions

This Raita can be prepared ahead of a day before serving and also stays good in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days in a closed container.

Serving Suggestions

You might wonder what to serve with this raita and what goes well with it. It is usually served as a dip to accompany biryani, kebabs, roti, naan, spicy curries, or roasted and baked dishes. So following are some of the biryani recipes, pulaos, starters, and snacks that go perfectly well with this Indian yogurt sauce.

• Mughlai Chicken Biryani
• Lamb Biryani
• Fish Biryani
• Shrimp Biryani
• Vegetable Biryani
• Matar Pulao
• Mint Pulao
• Kuska Rice
• Chicken Mandi
• Chicken Tandoori
• Chicken Pakora

Raita Recipe Video

I have also shared a detailed video of this Raita Recipe below that I hope will help you to make a popular Indian yogurt dip or sauce at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.

📖 Recipe

FAQ

I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

Happy Cooking!