Mint Raita Recipe (Raita Chutney)
Updated: August 7, 2022, By Swasthi
Mint Raita is a fast super flavorful raita variety made with fresh mint leaves, yogurt and spices. It is known by various names such as Pudina raita, Raita chutney, Kebab Chutney & Pudina dahi chutney. Mint Raita is a perfect side to your Biryani, Pulao, Kebabs & other rice dishes. Call it a raita or a chutney, whatever you like but it tastes simply delicious and is going to mesmerize you with a burst of flavors.
A lot of us are always confused with its name and not sure whether to call is a raita or a chutney because you see it being served with kebabs and tikkas like a chutney. But it has all the features of a raita.
The popular tikkas and Kebabs served in Indian restaurants are always accompanied with this delicious mint raita chutney.
I have never come across an Indian restaurant serving this with Biryani but is always there on a buffet. We do enjoy it at home with everything from Biryani, Kebabs, Tikkis, Tikka and even with other rice dishes like pilaf or turmeric rice.
In this post I have 2 recipes for you. One is for the mint raita that goes well with biryani, pulao and rice dishes.
The second one is the pudina dahi chutney (kebab chutney) that is served in restaurants. Serve this with any kind of snacks & appetizers. It goes well with just anything – right from pakoras, samosas, sandwiches to tandoori kebabs.
How to make Mint Raita (Stepwise Photos)
1. This recipe requires dry roasted cumin powder. You can make a batch of the powder following this Cumin powder recipe or make a quick powder from my instructions below. On a medium heat, dry roast half teaspoon cumin seeds in a pan until aromatic & deep golden but not burnt. Cool and powder it in a small grinder.
2. Rinse ¾ cup mint leaves/pudina and ¼ cup coriander leaves (optional) in surplus water at least thrice. Drain off the water. Add the leaves to the grinder along with 1 to 2 green chili (or serrano peppers), ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and one tbsp. of yogurt. We add yogurt to help in grinding. If you want you can also add a small garlic clove (peeled).
3. Grind to a super smooth consistency. Pour 1¼ cup yogurt to a bowl and whisk well until it is smooth. Add the mint puree to yogurt. Whisk everything together. Taste test and add more salt if required. If you want you may add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or half teaspoon chaat masala. It is optional to use them.
We prefer to stir in a few tablespoons of peeled & chopped cucumbers or onions. This goes well with biryani.
Serve with any flavored rice like
Veg biryani,
Mushroom biryani,
Chicken biryani
Hyderabadi chicken biryani
Photo Guide
Raita Chutney for Kababs
Ingredients
1 cup thick fresh curd / dahi
2 to 3 deseeded green chili
1 cup loosely measured fresh pudina / mint leaves
¼ cup coriander leaves (optional)
2 tsps chopped onion (optional)
1 small garlic clove
¼ tsp grated ginger (optional)
½ tsp roasted and powdered cumin/ jeera
½ tsp. sugar
salt as needed
Method
1. Wash pudina and coriander in enough water. Drain them to a colander completely.
2. Dry roast jeera and cool it. Powder it in a blender jar. You can also use roasted powder and skip this step.
3. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of curd, coriander, mint, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic and green chili to the blender jar.
4. Blend them all well until smooth. Add it to curd. Stir well. Serve with kababs or Indian snacks.
Recipe Card
Mint Raita Recipe (Raita Chutney)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- ¾ cup mint leaves /pudina (loosely measured), fresh
- ¼ cup coriander leaves (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin / jeera
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cup curd or Greek yogurt, thick
- 1 to 2 green chili small (deseeded) (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ½ teaspoon chaat masala (optional)
Optional
- 1 to 2 tablespoon cucumber chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoon onions chopped
Instructions
How to Make Mint Raita
- Wash mint and coriander leaves in lot of water and drain them. Dry roast cumin until aromatic and deep golden. Cool and make a fine powder in a grinder.
- Add 1 tbsp of yogurt, mint, coriander, sugar, salt and chili to the same grinder jar. Grind to a smooth puree.
- Whisk the rest of the yogurt until smooth. Then stir in the mint puree. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If you want you can also add lemon juice or chaat masala.
- To serve with biryani or other rice dishes, I prefer to stir in chopped onions and cucumber.
- Serve mint raita with any pulao, biryani, tehri or with kababs.
Notes
- The taste of green chili may not go well for everyone, so you can skip if you don’t like the smell or heat of raw chili if you are making it for biryani.
- One tsp chopped onions can be used instead of green chili for biryani raita. Using both may make the dish pungent.
- Alternately you can soak onions for a while in water to reduce the pungency. Drain off and then chop.
- 1 to 2 tbsp. chopped cucumber can also be added for biryani raita.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m 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 Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
This mint raita is world-class. I have made so many kinds of raita and this was classy. Thank you
We had a dinner party at home. We made a middle eastern chicken kabsa, seekh kabab, naan, malai kofta and mint raita, all from your website (except kabsa). All of them turned out delicious. Thank you for making this amazing website
I made the naan, Bombay potato and tikka masala for Sunday lunch and all 3 dishes turned out great and a big hit with my fussy husband , many thanks for sharing your recipes
Wow! That’s a lovely Indian meal! So glad to read this. Thank you Daine
Hello there, how long does this raita recipe keep in the fridge?
Hello,
It keeps good for 4 to 5 days without the addition of onions and cucumbers.
Just perfect with a lamb biryani with lots of sides for my family and I, thank you.
Gin, Glad you like it.
Thank you!
Refreshingly delicious
Thank you
i like it have try mine it good
Dear sir i like this all foods . thanks for every thing
welcome
thanks. All raithas in one bunch.
welcome
flavorful raitha
Thanks Vimitha
🙂
delicious raita.
Thanks Indu
🙂
thaks for ur mint raita
Welcome Bajoriya
🙂
Dried pomegranate seeds could be added
Thanks for the tip Prasad,
will try it next time