Yogurt Raita
Raita is a condiment from the Indian subcontinent. It is made with yogurt as a base ingredient, or curd as it is known in India. It complements spicy food well. In particular, it neutralizes the heat in spicy food and cools the palate.
Another cooling ingredient used in raita is cucumber. But beyond these two ingredients, the recipe can vary. This version is from the Indian state of Goa. It has the basic yogurt, cucumber, salt but also has some added sweetness, salt, sour cream which tempers the tartness of the yogurt and thickens the raita, onion, and tomato. The sprinkle with cumin and paprika along with finely chopped cilantro, provide a fine garnish and flavor when mixed in.
What You’ll Need to Make Yogurt Raita
How to Make Yogurt Raita
Start by chopping the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds. Cut in a small dice or grate coarsely. Place in a small colander to drain. Next cut the tomato in half and reserve the other half for another use. Chop the half tomato in a small dice. Then peel and cut the onion. Finely chop the onion to yield one tablespoon. I have a yellow onion pictured here, but red onion also adds a nice contrast to the end product and is closer to the type of onion commonly used in Goa.
Then scoop out the yogurt into a bowl. A word about the yogurt. Don’t use Greek style, otherwise the raita will be uncharacteristically thick. Instead, use a brand like Dannon whole milk yogurt. Add in the sour cream, salt and sugar.
Whisk together til smooth.
Next add the vegetables.
Combine all the ingredients. Garnish with paprika, cumin and finely chopped cilantro. Chill before serving.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk yogurt such as Dannon
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- dash salt
- 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped or coarsely grated
- 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato finely chopped
Garnish:
- 1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
- ground cumin and paprika to sprinkle
Instructions
- In a bowl add the yogurt, sour cream, sugar and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Wash and dry the cucumber and peel the skin. Cut the cucumber in half. Then stand it upright and slice vertically. Remove the seeds. Then chop the cucumber to a small dice. Alternatively, you can coarsely grate the cucumber, but you will need to drain it before adding to the yogurt blend.
- Finely chop the tomato and the onion. Add to the yogurt mixture. Use a spatula to fold together the ingredients.
- Finely chop the tomato and the onion.Add the vegetables to the yogurt mixture. Use a spatula to fold together the ingredients.
- Served chilled.
© Ginny's Recipe Collection
