Raita is an Indian side dish made with dahi curd) and raw or cooked vegetables, occasionally fruit, or, in the case of boondi raita, fried batter droplets made from besan (chickpea flour). In western cuisine, the closest approximation is a side dish or dip, or a prepared salad. It's commonly referred to as a condiment, but unlike typical western condiments like salt, pepper, mustard, and horseradish, which make foods spicier, dahi or raita has a cooling impact that balances with the fiery curries and kebabs that are common in Asian cuisines. The word raita, which derives from the Hindi language, first appeared in print in the 19th century. In Bengali and Hindustani, the word raita is a combination of the Sanskrit word rajika, or its descendant Hindustani rai, which means black mustard seed, and tiktaka, which means sharp or pungent. Traditional raita is known as pachadi in South India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Here are some delicious vegetable raitas that you can prepare for your meals-
Cucumber Raita
It's a delicious Raita dish made with fresh curd and cucumbers. It's simple, quick, and easy to make, and it's especially popular during the fast. It has a blend of flavours and a smooth creamy white texture with a cucumber colour. This Raita has a creamy scent combined with the sharp aroma of onions. It doesn't require any cooking; all you have to do is chop and put the ingredients together. It's one of the most refreshing side dishes to accompany a big meal.
Beetroot Raita
Beetroot Raita is vibrant, colourful raita made with nutritious beets, crunchy onions, bell pepper, carrots, sour curd (yoghurt), and seasonings. The beautiful dark pink raita has a mildly sweet and tangy flavour that goes well with most Indian dishes. Simply grate the beets, carrots, capsicum and onions, then finely chop the remaining ingredients. Use your food processor to make things easier. The raita has a distinct flavour profile from the other raitas we usually prepare.
Aloo Raita
Boiled potatoes, curd (yoghurt), mint leaves, coriander leaves, and spices are mixed to make this aloo raita. It is a simple and uncomplicated raita variation. It's a great side dish for Biryani, Pulao, or any other rice-based dish. This recipe can be made faster if you have some leftover boiled potatoes. In fact, this recipe is a great way to use up leftover boiled potatoes. You can also use pan-fried potatoes instead of boiling them.
Onion and tomato raita
It's one of the simplest and most popular Indian raitas. This raita does not require any special ingredients because the main ingredients, such as onion, tomatoes, and green chilli, are commonly found in most kitchens. This raita is delicious with pulao, biryani, roti-sabzi, or dal-rice. It's simple to make onion tomato raita. Finely chop all the ingredients including the onion, tomato, green chile, and mint or coriander leaves. Then mix them with curd that has been seasoned with salt and spice powders. Serve the raita with mint or coriander leaves on top.
Ghiya Raita/ Lauki ka Raita
Lauki ka raita is a flavorful condiment sauce made from bottle gourd and curd. This recipe is very simple to make. Lauki raita (ghiya raita) is a refreshing side dish that goes well with pulao, biryani, or any Indian meal. This raita recipe is unusual and not widely known. In Punjabi households, lauki raita is a common dish.