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Raita recipes | 12 raita varieties for biryani & pulao

By swasthi , on February 8, 2020, 29 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Raita recipes – 12 delicious, healthy and refreshing raita recipes to serve wtih biryani, pulao, kebabs or any Indian meal. Without raita, curd or lassi an Indian meal is incomplete.

What is raita?

Raita is an Indian dish made with yogurt, spice powders, herbs & veggies like onions, cucumbers & carrots. Indian raita is usually accompanied with biryani, pulao or kababs. Most often it is made with fresh veggies of choice, mild spice powders like cumin and herbs like coriander leaves & mint leaves.

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raita recipe

There are also some varieties made using cooked veggies and even fruits.

A raita is generally made to tone down the heat of the spicy foods like biryani and kebabs. Since yogurt is cooling, it helps to balance the heat from meat and spicy foods.

Also veggies like onion, tomato, cucumber, leafy greens like mint and coriander are cooling to the body. They also help to digest a heavy meal.

Different kinds of raita

Some of the most common raita varieties are onion raita, onion tomato raita, mint raita, cucumber raita and boondi raita.

Some of the uncommon ones like aloo raita, spinach raita and bhindi raita are good to be avoided if accompanying a meat biryani since they do not go well together.

raita recipe

How to make a best raita?

To make a good raita use full fat, thick, fresh & nicely set yogurt/ curd. If you are new to making homemade curd, you can check this post on how to make curd at home. Some raita are made with hung curd or greek yogurt, you can refer this post to make hung curd at home.

Biryani and veg pulao are often made at home, we telugu speaking folks eat lot of spicy and hot food at every meal. We make raita often not only for biryani & pulao but also for plain rice with non-veg curries like chicken curry & mutton curry.

Here are some of the most commonly made raita recipes. Most of these are my own and go very well for our taste. You can also make your own adjustments.

Most of these recipes serve 3 people or 2 grown ups + 2 kids. If making these for kids as well, make the raita without chili. Set the kids portion aside, then add the chopped chilies to the rest.

Related recipes
Chicken biryani
Mutton biryani
Veg biryani

1.Basic raita recipe

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raita

Raita recipe

Raita is a quick side dish made with curd, veggies, spice powders & herbs. It is usually eaten with pulao or biryani. 
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time6 minutes
Servings2
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

  • 1 cup curd or yogurt (fresh)
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • ½ cup cucumbers (peeled & chopped)
  • 1/8 tsp Salt or as needed
  • 1 to 2 green chilies deseeded & chopped
  • 1 tbsp coriander leaves or cilantro chopped finely
  • ¼ to ½ tsp roasted cumin powder or roasted jeera (optional)
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Instructions

Preparation

  • Chill the yogurt. Wash & chop the onions & green chilies. Wash & peel the cucumbers. If needed deseed. Then chop to bite sizes.
  • Wash coriander leaves in ample amount of water. Drain completely and chop them fine.
  • Roast 1 tsp cumin seeds on a low flame until it smells good. Cool this and crush them to fine powder in a spice jar. 

How to make raita

  • Add curd and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk them until smooth with a fork.
  • Next add chopped cucumbers, onions, cumin powder, coriander leaves and green chilies.
  • Stir gently. Sprinkle cumin powder on top.
  • Serve raita with biryani , pulao or paratha.
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Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Raita recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 108 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 280mg12%
Potassium 315mg9%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 8.4mg10%
Calcium 161mg16%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

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2.Boondi raita recipe

Boondi raita is one of the fancy dishes mostly served in restaurants. Bundi or boondi is a crisp fried snack made with gram flour. You can buy it from Indian grocery stores. For this recipe we need boondi that is not spiced.

boondi raita

Ingredients
1 ¼ cup fresh curd / yogurt
¾ to 1 cup boondi
Salt as needed (boondi is salted so use very little)
¼ to ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
2 pinches of red chili powder for garnish
1 tbsp coriander leaves

How to make boondi raita

  1. Whisk curd with salt & cumin powder. Add coriander leaves & mix.
  2. Transfer the curd to serving bowls.
  3. Add boondi to the bowls just before serving.
  4. Sprinkle some chilli powder & cumin.

3.Mint raita or mint chutney

This is known by different names as dahi chutney, kebab chutney, kebab raita, mint raita, mint chutney for kebab. These names are purely region or country specific, mostly used in Indian restaurants abroad.

kabab raita

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 cumin/ jeera
¼ to ½ tsp. sugar
salt as needed

How to make mint raita recipe for kebab
1. Wash mint & coriander in lot of water. Drain them very well in a colander.
2. Dry roast 1 tsp cumin until aromatic and cool it. Powder it in a blender jar.
3. Add 1 tbsp of curd, coriander, sugar,mint, salt, ginger, garlic, onions (optional) and chili to the blender jar.
4. Blend them all well. Add it to whisked curd. Stir well.

Serve with kababs like Chicken kebab, Soya seekh kabab, Vegetarian Hara bhara kabab, Grilled tandoori chicken, Reshmi / malai kabab, Mixed veg cutlet and chicken cutlet.

4.Onion mint raita

Mint Coriander raita

Ingredients
¾ cup fresh mint leaves/pudina (loosely measured)
1 large onion chopped
½ tsp cumin
¼ to ½ tsp. sugar
salt as needed
1¼ cup thick curd or Greek yogurt
small green chili (deseeded)

Method
1. Wash mint/ pudina and coriander leaves few times. Drain them to a colander.
2. Dry roast cumin and cool it. Add cumin to a blender jar and powder. You can skip this if you have the powder ready, just use the powder directly.
3. Add 1 tbsp of curd, mint, coriander, sugar, salt and chili to the jar.
4. Blend until fine. Mix with the rest of the curd.
5. Add chopped onions or cucumber pieces.

5.Cucumber raita

Cucumber raita
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Ingredients
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup curd (adjust as needed to get the desired consistency)
Salt as needed
½ tsp roasted cumin powder
pinch of pepper powder (optional)
few mint leaves or coriander leaves chopped finely(optional)
1 green chili seeded and chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger juice (optional)

1. Wash and peel cucumber. Deseed and Chop to small bites.
2. Add them to a bowl along with yogurt, salt and cumin powder. If using pepper powder and mint coriander leaves add them as well. Mix everything well. To make ginger juice, grate ginger, add it to a tea strainer and press, juice drips through the strainer. Add just one 1 tsp of the juice.
3. Garnish with pepper and cumin powder.

6. Ginger mint raita

This goes very well with pulao or biryani that is mildly flavored. The flavors of ginger and mint in this recipe make this a very flavorful one and is great for digestion.

onion raita

Ingredients
1 ¼ cup yogurt (use ¼ cup more if needed)
½ cup onions roughly chopped
¼ cup deseeded tomatoes chopped (optional)
3 green chilies deseeded and chopped
Salt as required
12 to 15 mint leaves / pudina
½ to 1 inch ginger (adjust the quantity to suit your taste)
½ tsp roasted cumin powder/ jeera powder (optional)

Instructions
1. Whisk curd with salt until smooth.
2. Crush ginger and mint leaves together very well. You can also do it in a mini jar. Add 2 tbsps water to this mixture and filter it through a coffee filter/ strainer to yogurt. Press down the mint and ginger to bring out the flavors completely.
3. Add green chilli, onions and tomatoes. Garnish with mint or cumin powder.

7.Green chilli raita

This may be a good choice for those with young kids at home. Make your biryani, pulao kids friendly with out green chilies. Make a carrot raita for the kids. Then make this chilli raita to go with your biryani.

chilli raita

Ingredients
¾ to 1 cup fresh curd
2 to 4 hot green chilies
¼ to ½ tsp sugar (organic) (optional)
½ to ¾ tsp cumin or jeera powder
coriander leaves few chopped (optional)

Method
1. If you like you can deseed and use the green chilies to reduce the heat.
2. Fry green chilies in 1 tsp oil. Cool and blend with 2 tbsps curd and sugar in a blender. Mix with the rest of the curd and salt. Garnish with cumin powder. It is good to serve this chilled.

8.Cabbage raita

Cabbage raita
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Ingredients
¼ cup finely chopped cabbage
1 cup fresh thick curd / yogurt
1 green chili deseeded & chopped
Roasted cumin powder / jeera powder to suit your taste
Few coriander leaves chopped
Sat as required
1 tsp lemon juice
Pepper powder as desired

How to make
Add lemon juice to finely chopped cabbage. Toss well and set aside for 5 minutes.
Whisk curd with salt & cumin.
Add cabbage, green chili and coriander leaves to curd.
Mix everything well.
Sprinkle pepper powder.

9.Bhurani raita (garlic flavored)

Ingredients
1 ¼ cup fresh thick curd / yogurt
2 medium garlic cloves
Salt to taste
¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
2 generous pinches of red chili powder

How to make
1. Whisk together curd, chilli powder and salt. Blend 2 garlic cloves with 2 tbsps of yogurt. Mix it with the rest of the whisked yogurt. Garnish with cumin powder.

10.Mixed vegetable raita

carrot raita

2 to 2 ½ cups yogurt
¼ cup onions
¼ cup deseeded chopped tomatoes
¼ cup carrot
¼ cup cucumber deseeded, peeled and chopped
Handful of coriander leaves chopped finely
green chilies 2 to 3 chopped
salt as needed

Method
1. Whisk curd with salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

11.Pomegranate raita or fruit raita

Ingredients
1 cup thick curd / yogurt
½ cup pomegranate / anardana (or sweet mangoes & grapes)
Salt to taste
¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
2 generous pinches of red chili powder (optional)

Whisk the curd to smooth with salt, chili powder and cumin powder. Add the pomegranate seeds and serve. This goes well with pulao and biryani that are not much hot (from chilies) as this tastes slightly hot.

12.Masala raita

Ingredients

1 cup fresh curd/ yogurt
¼ to ½ tsp cumin/ jeera powder
¼ tsp pepper powder (optional)
salt to taste
¼ to ½ tsp chaat masala
¼ tsp red chili powder
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

Method
Whisk curd with all the ingredients except red chili powder. Garnish with chili powder and serve chilled.

raita
Raita recipes | 12 raita varieties for biryani & pulao
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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis 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.
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Comments

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  2. Aarty Thevaraj says

    November 13, 2020

    5 stars
    I love your recipes soooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    ooooooooooooooo much!!
    😊😊🦄🦄😍😍 ❤️ 💖 💖 💗 💗 💕 💕 💝 💝

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 13, 2020

      Thank you so much Aarty
      So glad to know!
      🙂

      Reply
  3. Jeetain Thapa says

    July 13, 2020

    4 stars
    All your ways of making raita is too yumm and you also explained so well, specially mixed vegetable raita. Thanks for the recipes

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 13, 2020

      You are welcome

      Reply
  4. Roshin says

    January 8, 2020

    4 stars
    I depend on your recipes for a lot of my cooking. They turn out very tasty. Thank you for the trouble you’ve taken to post them all.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 9, 2020

      Hi Roshin,
      You are welcome. Glad to know! My pleasure!
      🙂

      Reply
  5. Rifa says

    August 1, 2019

    Can i make raita the night before i make biryani?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      August 2, 2019

      Yes you can make it the night before. If using onions I would suggest to add them just before serving.

      Reply
  6. vidya says

    April 13, 2018

    5 stars
    Nice collection. I have made a few from here. They turned out very good.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 13, 2018

      Thanks for trying vidya

      Reply
  7. sanjeev malik says

    March 23, 2018

    very good

    Reply
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  9. vidhya says

    August 15, 2017

    it is vry useful and helpfull.thank u

    Reply
  10. Rupa says

    December 6, 2016

    Excellent recipes, Swasthi. Thank you so much!!!!

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 8, 2016

      Welcome Rupa

      Reply
  11. husaaima says

    October 29, 2016

    hi ,swasthi accidently got this sight and was wacthing the receipe for my kids then i got chocolate ice cream recipe as i tried to make it it came like grocery then i decided to comment on u.good awesome?receipes

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 1, 2016

      Hi Husaaima
      Thanks for trying. I am glad it turned out good. Keep trying and sharing the results

      Reply
  12. Jayendra says

    October 17, 2016

    Never knew about this site.
    Came across accidently, . Looking good
    Let me explore more

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 22, 2016

      Thank you

      Reply
  13. Noorie says

    October 9, 2016

    Lovely recipes.will surely try them out.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 13, 2016

      Thanks

      Reply
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  15. Cheryl Dsouza says

    September 7, 2016

    receipes are very tempeting and delicious

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      September 9, 2016

      Thank you

      Reply
  16. Gwen Saldanha says

    July 17, 2016

    Dear Swasthi,

    Just came across your blog today…and stayed on it for over an hour!!!….Your picture are vibrant…recipes are simple to understand and the end result is sure to be delicious!…I’m trying out your recipe of Egg Biryani today and it sure is going to earn me a lot of praise from my husband!

    Thank you for sharing your talent with the world! 🙂

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 19, 2016

      Hi Gwen Saldanha
      You are most welcome.
      Glad to know you liked the blog.
      Thanks a ton.
      Hope you like the egg biryani
      🙂

      Reply
  17. mehboob says

    April 14, 2016

    hum ko kuch nehi aata.

    Reply
  18. maha says

    June 10, 2015

    nice idea to use cabbage…i love raits..loved dis version too.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 11, 2015

      Thanks Maha. Iam glad you loved this

      Reply
  19. Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says

    June 10, 2015

    Cabbage raita looks stunning and so refreshing Swasthi!

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 11, 2015

      Thanks Anu

      Reply

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