Raita Recipe

My new obsession is Indian raita. My husband and I regularly order Indian food for take-out and visit Indian restaurants, and this side dish has become almost a staple in our home and I now eat it with everything. I initially ate it with only spicy dishes to cool the palate, and now I use it as a side with various chicken dishes I make, and I even eat it with pita chips as a snack. I just love how cool and fresh raita is, and it’s a nice change up from Greek Tzatziki. Cumin and cilantro are two of my favorite flavors, so I am not surprised by how much I love raita!

I do want to add a disclaimer here quickly: this is my recipe. I use Greek yogurt instead of traditional yogurt (as the original dish calls for) because I personally prefer the sour taste of Greek yogurt. Also, most recipes I have found online for raita do not include as many vegetables as are in my dish. The restaurant we frequently visit includes a lot of veggies and that’s how I fell in love with this side.

From what I gather online, there are so many ways to make raita and you can really make it your own!

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt (or regular)
• 2 tbs half and half
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 c. cucumber, shredded or very finely diced
• 2 tbs sweet onion, shredded or very finely diced
• 1/4 c. carrot, shredded
• 1/4 c. tomato, finely diced
• 1 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

Whisk together the yogurt and half and half until combined. (The half and half makes the raita creamier. Traditional recipes call for regular plain yogurt, which is smooth already. I am only using half and half because Greek yogurt is usually more stiff.) Once combined, add the cumin and salt and whisk together.

Stir in the cucumber, onion, carrot, tomato, and cilantro to the dairy mixture until combined.

Enjoy!