| Raita | |
| Alternate Name: | Hindi: रायता, Bengali: রায়তা Pachadi |
| Region: | Indian subcontinent with regional variations |
| National Cuisine: | India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal |
| Course: | Condiment |
| Served: | Cold |
| Main Ingredient: | Dahi (yogurt), buttermilk, cucumber, mint |
| Variations: | Dahi chutney, Pachadi |
| Calories: | 46 |
Raita is a side dish 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.
The word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century; it comes from the Hindi language.[1] 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.[2]
In South India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu, traditional raita is called pachadi,[3] Tayir pachadi.
In Eastern Nepal, the dish is known as dahi kakro, whereas in western regions of Nepal it is known as raito.[4] [5]
Raita is also sometimes simply called dahi, or "sourmilk", after its main ingredient, particularly in South African Indian cuisine.
Cumin () and black mustard () are fried. This tempering is then mixed with minced, raw vegetables or fruits (such as cucumber, onion, carrot, pineapple, papaya) and yogurt.[6]
Raw ginger and garlic paste, green chili paste, and sometimes mustard paste are used to enrich flavour.
A variety of raita of India varies from region to region, most notable raithas are boondi raitha—tiny balls of fried gram flour (chickpea flour), which may taste salty or tīkhā (spicy) and onion raita and vegetable raita. The mixture is served chilled. Raita may cool the palate when eating spicy Indian dishes.[7]
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.[8]
Made either from sprouted pulses, roasted pulses or other condiments made from pulse flour.
Raita is served as a side dish to be eaten with main course dishes.