Tadka Raita (Vegetable Raita with Tempering)

Cool, fresh, creamy, veg loaded, crunchy this simple herbaceous raita is vibrant, tad spiced and perfect for those summer days. Best enjoyed to accompany a meal as a side dish or double up and have it as meal light summer meal.

Raita is essentially a side dish, an accompaniment to rich curries, pulao, biryani, paratha or to tone down a spicy meal. A staple with any Indian meal, its normally made with one veggie, cucumber being the most popular or multiple vegetables, yogurt is lightly whisked a few seasonings are added to the veggies. In India raita is called by several different names depending on the region, each a little different; Dahi ka raita, Pachadi, Tayir Pachadi.

Tadka Raita: is a kinda of raita where a flavorful tempering is added as a final step. It’s popular in south of India also called Pachadi. A tempering made up of hot oil with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, a little turmeric, dried red chilles, and asafetida are added to the raita after the veggies are mixed. The tempering adds a burst of flavor, seasoning and crunch elevating the whole dish.

OTHER TYPES OF RAITA

• Vegetable Raita: made with grated or finely chopped cucumber, chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro/mint, whisked yoghurt and salt. This recipe for raita is the most popular and widely served raita in homes and restaurants. Other veggies that work well include radish and grated carrots. 
• Fruit Raita: Pineapple, banana, pomegranate raita are quite popular specially at weddings. 
• Cooked Vegetable Raita: Vegetables like Okra are fried or sautéed, seasoned and added to cool yogurt to make a tasty raita other cooked veggie raita include boiled potatoes. Beet Raita is also popular for it’s beautiful pink color.
• Boondi Raita: (crispy fried chickpea balls are added to yogurt to make an interesting crisp, cool and savory yogurt raita. Boondi is easily available at Indian grocery stores. 
• Herb Raita: a popular raita with restaurants, it’s served with kebabs, biryanis and rich curries. Mint, cilantro in blended with yoghurt to make a vibrant green raita.

TIPS FOR GREAT RAITA

• Salt and Seasonings: Start with ¼ teaspoon sea salt for each cup of plain yogurt, if you feel the raita needs more salt, add in increments of 1/8th of a teaspoon. Also note veggies will release some moisture in salted yogurt, it will not change the taste but may thin the raita a little. The use of ground spices is optional, my favorite is a little pinch of ground cumin and maybe some chaat masala.
• Prepping Vegetables: Chop the veggies into small pieces, it is a little extra work, but the end result is perfect texture. If your cucumber has thick skin I recommend peeling it. Use organic if you’re concerned, my favorite is small organic Persian/Lebanese cucumbers. Tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are the best or any tomato with low moisture content, alternatively scoop out the inner juicy part and chop the outer pulp, Onions add a wonderful crunch and will mellow in the acidic environment. Carrot and Radish are also excellent veggies to add to a raita.
• Kind Of Yogurt: Use plain regular milk/plant milk yogurt. I don’t recommend using Greek, we are looking for thinner consistency, Greek yogurt will be too thick. If Greek yogurt is all you have thin it down with some milk or water. Full fat yogurt is the best, low fat yogurt will also work but may not have the same consistency and taste.
• Vegetables: best veggies for this recipe are cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, radish and carrots. For each cup of yogurt start with 3/4 and go up to-1 to 1 1/4 cup of chopped veggies.
• Tempering: heat the oil or ghee in a small pan. Slowly tip in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds in the oil, they will splutter and sizzle, followed by curry leaves, hing if using, ground turmeric and dried chillies. Once everything has sizzled and the popping dies down pour it over the yogurt and mix evenly.