Raita

For other uses, see Raita (disambiguation).

Raita

Cucumber and mint raita
Alternative names	रायता, রায়তা Pachadi
Course	Condiment
Region or state	Indian subcontinent with regional variations
Associated cuisine	India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal
Serving temperature	Cold
Main ingredients	Dahi (yogurt), buttermilk, cucumber, mint
Variations	Dahi chutney, Pachadi
Food energy (per serving)	46  kcal (190  kJ)
Cookbook: Raita   Media: Raita

Raita is a side dish and condiment in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt or "curd") together with raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, or pulses. The yogurt may be seasoned with herbs and spices such as coriander, roasted cumin seeds, mint, and cayenne pepper.

Raita is served alongside many Indian dishes such as pulao rice and curries.

Etymology

The word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century; it comes from the Hindi language. ^[1] The word raita in Bengali and Hindi is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit word rajika or the derivative Hindi rai (pronounced "ra-ee") meaning black mustard seed, and tiktaka, meaning sharp or pungent. ^[2]

In South India, especially Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, traditional raita is called pachadi . ^[3]

In Eastern Nepal, the dish is known as dahi kakro (lit. 'yogurt cucumber'), whereas in western regions of Nepal it is known as raito. ^{[4] [5]}

Dish

Spices such as cumin (zīrā) and black mustard (rāī) are fried. This tempering is mixed with minced, raw vegetables or fruits (such as cucumber, onion, carrot, beetroot, tomato, pineapple, or pomegranate) and yogurt. ^[6]

Raita is served as a side dish to be eaten with main course dishes, from pulao to curries. ^[7] It is usually served chilled. It helps to cool the palate when eating spicy Indian dishes. ^[8]

Variants

Raitas can be varied by using any of three types of ingredient as its base: vegetables, pulses, or fruits. These are mixed with yogurt and flavoured with a variety of seasonings to make different types of raita. ^[7] A commonly made version is cucumber raita. ^[7] Seasonal ingredients include goosefoot or lamb's quarters ( Chenopodium album ), used in wintertime in Haryana to make bathua ka raita. ^[9] Among the many regional variants is chukauni, potato raita, made in Nepal. It is flavoured with onion and coriander, and eaten with dishes such as batuk, fritters of black lentils. ^[10]

• Raita variants
• 
  Cucumber raita
• 
  Beetroot and carrot raita
• 
  Onion raita
• 
  Chickpea (boondi) raita
• 
  Pomegranate raita

See also

• Tzatziki, a similar dish found in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine
• List of condiments
• List of dips
• List of yogurt-based dishes and beverages

References

1. Sedgwick, Fred (2009). Where words come from: A dictionary of word origins. London: Continuum International Publishing. ISBN   978-1847062741.
2. "Raita". Merriam Webster.
3. "How To Make South-Indian-Style Tomato Raita". NDTV Food . Retrieved 11 October 2022.
4. "स्थानीय उत्पादनको प्रवद्र्धन : पाहुनालाई घिउ, मह र मकैको रोटी" [Promotion of local products: Ghee, honey and corn bread for guests]. Naya Patrika (in Nepali). Retrieved 27 August 2022.
5. "सुदूरको स्याउली थाप्ने चलन लोप हुँदै" [The custom of giving alms to distant relatives is disappearing.]. प्रशासन (in Nepali). Retrieved 27 August 2022. साइतमा जानेहरूका लागि स्याउली थाप्ने चलन, साउन महिनामा धानको खेतबारीमा गएर राइतो, बटुक बनाएर हरेला खाने चलन (The custom of offering Syauli to those who go to Sait, and the custom of going to rice fields in the month of Shrawan and making raito and batuk and eating harela)
6. Mehta Gambhir, Aloka (25 May 2011). "Tandoori chicken with Tomato Raita". The Times of India . Retrieved 22 December 2019.
7. Department of Food and Nutrition, Delhi (1986). "Raitas". Basic Food Preparation (Third ed.). Orient Longman. ISBN   81-250-2300-3.
8. Cultural Food Practices. American Dietetic Association. 2009. p. 244. ISBN   978-0880914338.
9. "Lamb's Quarters (Bathua)". Indraprastha Horticulture Society. 2025. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
10. Khanal, Prashanta (28 August 2020). "The culture, history and recipe of batuk". The Kathmandu Post .