This Raita recipe is an Indian condiment made with yogurt, fresh vegetables and spices. It is served as a side and relished for its cooling effect when eating spicy foods. My favorite version includes cucumbers, serrano peppers and mint.
Raita Recipe
We've been enjoying a lot of curry recipes in the Chili Pepper Madness household lately. It is something we've really grown into over the years. See my awesome Curry Recipes here.
Patty was never a big curry fan in her youth, and I simply wasn't exposed to it growing up in the secluded Midwest and my parents never exposed me to Indian food.
After we married, we began to explore and quickly found a love for Indian cuisine and all things curry. If you're a spicy food lover like I am, I'm sure curry is on your menu quite frequently.
As with any curry, though, it can get pretty spicy. Right? Have you ever tasted a curry that was just TOO HOT?
Enter "Raita".
What is Raita?
Raita is a traditional yogurt-based condiment of India that helps cool your palate. It is made with fresh yogurt, fresh vegetables and spices. There are variations, of course, from region to region and from cook to cook.
It is somewhat similar to a Greek tzatziki sauce, which is made mostly of cucumbers mixed with yogurt - Greek yogurt, that is.
Homemade Raita Ingredients
- Yogurt. The main ingredient in raita is yogurt, as it is essentially a yogurt dip. Use fresh plain yogurt, not Greek yogurt. Why? Because Greek yogurt is a bit too watery. This affects the consistency of the final condiment.
- Fruits and/or Vegetables. Popular add ins include chopped cucumber, chopped peppers (use a variety), tomato, and onions. Some cooked vegetables might be boiled potatoes, steamed cauliflower or broccoli, cabbage or even cooked corn.
- Herbs and Spices. See below.
A good ratio is 2:1 of yogurt to vegetables and/or fruits.
Let's talk about how to make raita, shall we?
How to Make Raita - the Recipe Method
Whisk the cayenne, cumin and salt into the yogurt until well incorporated.
Give your fresh veggies a good chop. I like to slice them small for easy eating, but not too small. Like so.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Refrigerate the Raita. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to let the flavors mingle.
Serve it Up. When ready to use, give it a quick stir and serve.
BOOM! Easy, right? Done in about 10 minutes or so. Just set it out among your other side dishes.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Key Ingredients. For my recipe, cucumbers and serrano peppers are KEY, as well as the obvious yogurt. And mint. They’re nice and cooling overall, but the serranos still give a bit of that spiciness and heat that I always crave.
- Popular Herbs and Spices. Popular ground spices and herbs for raita are spicy chili powder, toasted cumin seeds or roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, mustard seeds, chopped coriander or cilantro, and mint. I like a big variety, but the the recipe I am sharing is my favorite version. I will vary it up from time to time, though. It depends sometimes on what I have on hand.
- Serving Raita. Raita is great to serve with curries or other spicy Indian dishes to combat the high heat factor, like Vindaloo. Serve it up with naan or some type of flat bread.
Raita Variations
Some Indian raita recipes include cooked vegetables. Some include fruit. In fact, some even include bits of fried dough, called boondi raita, though my recipe goes with only fresh ingredients.
Raita can be made savory or sweet, and it can be made mild or spicy. Even though it is meant to have a cooling effect on the palate, I like a spicier version.
You'll see it called different names, depending on the additional ingredient focus, such as mint raita, cucumber raita or simply vegetable raita.
I hope you enjoy it, my friends! I figured I needed to share this with you, as we've been making so many curries lately. I hope it helps you beat the spicy curry heat!
Serve it up with some chilli pickle!
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Raita in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate them promptly.
Check Out Some of My Popular Curry Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Indian Raita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 serrano peppers finely chopped
- ½ small cucumber finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Whisk the cayenne, cumin and salt into the yogurt until well incorporated.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour to let the flavors mingle.
- When ready to use, give it a quick stir and serve.
Video
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/2/21 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 2/27/19.
Ramya says
Will be making this soon can i use coconut yogurt as am a vegan am indian and i approved this will tag you on twitter if i make this Thanks Ramya
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Ramya.
Jérémie says
I love raita, and the mix of mint and cilantro is always a dynamite success (like in keftas). Great video here, Sir!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jérémie! My favorite way to make it!
Catherine Penn-Ragin says
I made this recipe with the last month; with the ghost peppers. Delicious, a little warmer than expected, but second day I used sour cream and it still had heat but not add much a the day before. It's a favorite now in my house my son and I loved it. I'm going to make the cooling sauce next time. What is a good bread to serve with it. Again delicious!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Catherine! I love it. Glad you enjoyed it. Ghost peppers. Yes! You are a true spicy food lover. Very nice. I love naan or some type of flatbread for this, something sort of chewy and fluffy.
Stephen says
In your post you stated not to use Greek yogurt because it's too watery. I think you meant the opposite. It's too thick with a pasty texture and raita traditionally has a looser consistency so regular plain yogurt is a better choice. Maybe this isn't the case in your area but where I live in the northeast, the brands of Greek yogurts available are super thick. I like to use Trader Joe's grassfed organic yogurt or Maple Hill grassfed organic. They both have the right amount of tang/sweetness with a looser consistency. I'm looking forward to trying your version with heat to go with milder curry dishes for an extra kick. Thank you for the recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for the input, Stephen! Much appreciated. Great notes to consider when making this recipe.
Damien C. says
I love that you added serrano peppers to something that's meant to be cooling. I would do the same thing. Tastes killer.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Haha, I know. Too funny.