Raita is one of those yummy preparations that you can have with a wide variety of snacks and dishes. It is also part of the Indian main course, which includes the quintessential ‘thali’. You can have raita with various foods such as pulao, daal-rice, daal-roti, sabzi-roti, pooris, parathas, bhajias, pakoras, etc. Raita is also preferred with non-veg food items such as kebabs, as it enhances the taste, aids digestion, supplies fiber, and has a cooling effect. Depending on the ingredients used, raita can be sweet or salty or have a delectable combination of both flavors.
For making raita, curd is mixed with other ingredientssuch as raw or cooked vegetables, fruits and various spices. It is essential to use fresh and pure dahi such as Niryas Dahi to get the perfect taste of raita. Here are five delicious raita recipes you can make using Niryas Dahi.
Boondi raita: This is prepared using boondi, which is made from gram flour. You can make the boondi at home or buy it from your neighborhood shop. This is one of the simplest raita recipes, as you just need to mix the boondi in the curd along with salt and some spices such as roasted cumin powder and mustard power, black salt, and black pepper.
Cucumber raita: This is a popular raita recipe that is prepared using curd, finely chopped cucumbers, spices, and green chilies. Some people also add finely chopped tomato and onion to cucumber raita, but it’s entirely up to you how you want it. Cucumber raita is most widely consumed in the summer months,as it has cooling properties. Both curd and cucumber help to beat the heat.
Fruit raita: This will be a salty-sweet combo with the wholesome goodness of fresh fruits. Fruit raita is prepared using curd and chopped pieces of fresh fruits such as banana, apple, strawberry, pomegranate, and pineapple. You can add or remove any fruits, as per your specific tastes and preferences. Fruit raita will have both salt and sugar, along with some spicessuch as cumin powder and black pepper powder.
Mint coriander raita: This works like a tasty dip that pairs well with a wide variety of veg and non-veg food. Mint leaves, coriander leaves and chilies are grinded to a fine paste and added to curd. Then, the spices are added such as roasted cumin powder, chaat masala powder, and lal mirch powder. Salt and black salt are also added. Optional ingredients include finely chopped onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Pineapple raita: This will be a sweet and sour preparation using chopped pineapples, spices, coriander leaves, and curd. Salt and sugar may be added as required. Pineapple raita is more like a dessert that you can have at the end of a meal. It tastes best when served chilled.