Raita

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Raita is a side dish and condiment in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, or, in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan (chickpea flour, generally labeled as gram flour).

The closest approximation in Western cuisine is a side dish or dip, or a cooked salad. It is often referred to as a condiment, but unlike common Western condiments such as pepper, mustard, and horseradish that make dishes more spicy, a dish of dahi or raita has a cooling effect to contrast with spicy curries and kebabs that are the main fare of some Asian cuisines. In Indian cuisine, some type of flatbread may be eaten together with raita, chutneys, and pickles.

The yogurt may be seasoned with coriander, roasted cumin seeds, mint, cayenne pepper, chaat masala and other herbs and spices.

EtymologyEdit

The word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century; it comes from the Hindi language.<ref name=Sedgwick>Template:Cite book</ref> The word raita in Bengali and Hindi is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit word rajika or the derivative Hindi rai (pronounced "ra-ee") meaning black mustard seed, and tiktaka, meaning sharp or pungent.<ref name=MW>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In South India, especially Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, traditional raita is called pachadi.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Telugu, it is referred to as Perugu pachadi, and Tayir pachadi in Tamil.

In Eastern Nepal, the dish is known as dahi kakro (Template:Lit), whereas in western regions of Nepal it is known as raito.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Raita is also sometimes simply called dahi, or "sourmilk", after its main ingredient, particularly in South African Indian cuisine.Template:Citation needed

PreparationEdit

Cumin (Template:Transliteration) and black mustard (Template:Transliteration) are fried. This tempering is then mixed with minced, raw vegetables or fruits (such as cucumber, onion, carrot, beetroot, tomato, pineapple, and pomegranate) and yogurt.<ref name="TOI1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Raw ginger and garlic paste, green chili paste, and sometimes mustard paste are used to enrich flavour.Template:Citation needed

Raita is usually served chilled. It is used to cool the palate when eating spicy Indian dishes.<ref name="Diabetes">Template:Cite book</ref>

VariantsEdit

Onion Raita.jpg

Onion raita
Spring onion raitha.jpg

Spring onion raita
Boondhi raita picture.JPG

Boondi raita
Beetroot carrot raita picture.JPG

Beetroot and carrot raita
Raita Bhojpuri Lucknow Uttar Pradesh India.jpg

Boondi raita

Raitas can be prepared with three main base ingredients: vegetables, pulses and fruits. These are mixed with yogurt and flavoured with a variety of seasonings to make different types of raita.<ref name="Orient">Template:Cite book</ref>

Vegetable raitasEdit

File:Cucumber and Tomato Raita.jpg

Cucumber and tomato raita

Bathua ka raita, popular in Haryana in winters<ref>Bathua ka Raita | Haryana and Template:Webarchive Uttar Pradesh bathua recipe | Indian cuisine, masterchefu.com.</ref>
Cucumber raita
Lauki (bottle gourd/calabash) raita, popular in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
Beetroot raita
Brinjal raita
Carrot raita
Chili salt raita, either with chopped fresh chilies or dried chili powder
Horned melon raita
Mint and peanut raita
Onion coriander spring onion raita
Onion tomato raita
Potato raita
Pumpkin raita
Spinach raita
Garlic mint raita