Boondi Raita Recipe
Updated: September 1, 2022, By Swasthi
Boondi raita made with yogurt, ground spices, herbs and boondi is a super easy dish you can serve as a side in your meal. Make this delicious and creamy boondi raita under 5 minutes. It is usually served with Biryani or pulao but can also be served with paratha or any other flatbreads.
About Boondi Raita
Boondi raita is an Indian raita variety made with yogurt, boondi, cumin powder, chilli powder, chaat masala, salt and coriander leaves. Boondi are tiny crunchy fried snack balls made with gram flour. Apart from enjoying them as a snack, they are also used in various dishes like this boondi raita, boondi curry and for garnishing chaats, snacks & rice dishes.
Raita is a staple in many Indian households and makes its appearance in several avathars. Cucumber raita, onion raita, vegetable raita, boondi raita and fruit raita are some of the popular variations. You may find all of these here on my Raita Recipe post.
Boondi raita is quite popular in restaurants serving North Indian foods. In a lot of places, you will always find Awadhi biryani served with boondi raita.
This can be made with either softened or crunchy boondi. A lot of people rest crunchy boondi in warm water until they soak up the water and soften. Later they are drained and any excess moisture is removed by gently squeezing. This way the oil from the surface of boondi is also removed and they soak up the water resulting in a mouth melting texture.
This method is great if you are using store bought boondi or spicy boondi so the oil and the spice is removed. Also the texture of the boondi is super smooth. The other way is to directly add boondi to the whisked yogurt.
The boondi will still soak up the whey from the yogurt and soften resulting in mouth melting boondi raita. For this method make sure you don’t use greek yogurt as the crunchy boondi won’t soften since there is no excess whey required.
At home we personally don’t prefer the too soft boondi in the raita so I add it directly to the smooth yogurt to keep it slightly crunchy. This is what I have shown in this post. If you have never tried adding boondi directly to the whisked yogurt do try it. It tastes super good with crunchy boondi in creamy flavorsome yogurt.
But make sure you use fresh tasting boondi that doesn’t smell oily. Feel free to rest boondi in warm water if you prefer them soft and mouth melting.
Pro tips
- Yogurt: I use fresh homemade yogurt. You can use store bought greek yogurt too but bring it to consistency by adding little water. Make sure you don’t use very sour curd unless you want your dish to be sour tasting.
- Cumin powder: Roasted cumin powder is the key ingredient in a raita. If you do not have it, simply roast a few tablespoons of cumin on a low heat until crunchy. Cool and powder in a grinder. Use as required and store the rest in a glass bottle for further use.
- Cumin powder helps in digestion and is also cooling to the palate.
- Chaat masala: If you do not have it you may skip it. Chaat masala is a spice powder that adds a unique flavour to your boondi raita. It is easily available in Indian stores.
- Ground pepper: Crushed black pepper is used to impart a pungent flavour. It is optional and you may skip it.
- Adjust the quantity of all spices to suit your taste.
Serve boondi raita with
Chicken biryani
Hyderabadi biryani
Vegetable biryani
Photo Guide
How to make Boondi raita (stepwise photos)
1. Add 1 cup chilled curd to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add salt to taste. Start with a small quantity and adjust later.
3. Add ½ tsp roasted cumin powder. To make this powder, you can roast cumin on a low flame till it turns crunchy. Cool and powder.
4. Add ¼ tsp red chilli powder. You can also use chopped green chilli if you don’t like the flavor of chilli powder.
5. Add black pepper powder to taste. You can skip this.
6. Next add in ¼ to ½ tsp chaat masala. You can skip this and add few drops of lemon juice. But make sure your curd is not sour.
7. Chop 2 stalks of coriander leaves finely and add it. You can also add mint leaves if you like.
8. Whisk everything well till smooth. If you are using store bought yogurt that’s too thick, then add few tbsps of water. Boondi will absorb some moisture and the raita turns thick.
9. If you want to add softened boondi, add ¾ cup boondi in 1 ½ to 2 cups of warm water. Rest the boondi until soft for 5 mins. Drain to a colander and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Do not overdo as it turns mushy. Then add to the curd. I used 1/3 cup of boondi directly.
10. Gently mix. Taste test and add more salt if required. You can add more boondi or more yogurt to taste.
Garnish boondi raita with more spice powders and boondi. Serve with your meal or as a snack.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Boondi Raita
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup curd (plain yogurt, chilled)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or black salt, adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder (roasted jeera powder, adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (or green chilli chopped)
- 2 pinches Black pepper optional
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon chaat masala (optional) (do not use if curd is sour)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup boondi ( or ¾ cup to make soft boondi raita )
Instructions
- Add yogurt or chilled curd to a mixing bowl.
- Add salt, cumin powder, red chili powder, pepper, chaat masala and coriander leaves. You can also skip chaat masala and add few drops of lemon juice if the curd is not sour.
- Whisk everything well until smooth. If using store bought yogurt, you may need to add 2 to 3 tablespoons water.
- Option 1 – If you like soft boondi in the raita, add ¾ cup boondi to 1½ cups of warm water and rest until soft, for 5 mins. Drain to a colander and gently squeeze to remove excess water. Add to the yogurt. Option 2 – If you like crunchy boondi raita, add it directly to the whisked yogurt.
- Mix well and taste test. Add more salt and cumin powder if needed. To adjust the consistency, add more yogurt or boondi as per your taste.
- Garnish boondi raita with little spice powders, more boondi and coriander leaves.
- Serve with your meal, biryani or enjoy as a snack.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Boondi raita recipe first published in March 2018. Updated and Republished in October 2021.
About Swasthi
Iโm Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโs Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Hi Swasthi,
I came across this recipe just by typing Boondi into google, as I had bought a packet a couple of weeks ago. They were in the aisle along with Bombay mix, Gujurati mix etc. I wasnโt particularly impressed but was curious as to what they were made from. I then looked for recipes using Boondi and it was your recipe that came up 1st.
Iโll give Boondi a second chance with this recipe.
You havenโt let me down yet, and I doubt that you ever will.
You are the number 1 โgo toโ for all things Indian for my family.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thank you so much for trying and sharing back. Really very glad you all like them
Great Boondi raita recipe! Tried it and surprised to see my family asking for it more often. We love the crunchy boondi & it’s addictive. Thank you
So glad to read your comment Heena. Thank you so much for trying and sharing back
Great website nice recipe
Iqra, Thank you
Great website. I hope you write a cookbook some day, when you wil, i ll be the first one who buy it. Love those recipes..
Hi Huberdina,
Thank you so much! Glad you like the recipes!
๐
Thanks You are so good person I love you bro
Yummy!
Could you please post receipe for Cucumber raita receipe too?
Thanks
Welcome Soniya
You can find the recipe of cucumber raita here.