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I had an email from a reader (sorry, can’t find the email to fetch your name!) a while back requesting that I try to make a raita similar to the one she had at Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, I’ve never had raita and there isn’t a Trader Joe’s near by where I could get some to try. I looked into the recipe anyway and was intrigued. Raita kind of looks like the Indian version of tzatziki… and I LOVE tzatziki.
So, if you’re unfamiliar, both are a yogurt based sauce used for dipping, putting on flat breads, or whatever else you’d like. They’re creamy, cooling, and tangy. I looked up some recipes for raita and found that there are a million different versions out there. Some with cucumber, some with ginger, some with green onions, some simply with yogurt and a couple of spices . I liked the idea of having both cucumber and ginger to make it extra “cool” on the palate, so I went with that. You can definitely experiment with this and make it your own.
Full fat, strained (or Greek) yogurt is best for this recipe because it makes a nice thick, rich sauce. I happened to have some non-fat regular (not Greek) yogurt in my fridge so I used it instead of buying more. It was still delicious, although much thinner. It was still flavorful and went great with my Tandoori Chicken Bites. I also like the idea of adding a pinch of cayenne to juxtapose the cool cucumber and ginger… I might go add some now :)
Cucumber Raita
cucumber raita
5 from 1 vote
Cucumber raita is a quick, flavorful, and fresh sauce to cool spicy entrees or side dishes.
Peel the cucmber and slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the cucumber on a large cheese grater and place into a colander. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it (using a fine cheese grater) into the bowl.
After the cucumber has been sitting for at least ten minutes, press it into the sides of the colander to extract as much moisture as possible. Add it to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate to allow the flavors to combine. Adjust salt as needed.
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Notes
This sauce should keep in the refrigerator for approximately 5 days.
Begin with the cucumber. Peel the half that you’ll be using, slice it in half lengthwise, and then scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
Grate the cucumber into a colander using a cheese grater. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit. The salt will help draw out the juices so that they don’t make your sauce watery.
Place the yogurt in a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, and salt. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl as well. Stir to combine
Take a handful of cilantro (or mint) leaves and roughly chop them.
After the cucumber has been sitting in the colander for about ten minutes, press it against the sides to extract as much water as possible. Add it to the yogurt sauce along with the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.
Taste the sauce and add more salt if desired. I didn’t want a lot of salt in this sauce because I liked it’s light, fresh flavor. You can eat the sauce as is or refrigerate it to allow the flavors to mingle. Isn’t it pretty?
I served this as a dipping sauce for the tandoori chicken bites, but I also ended up making flatbread sandwiches with the naan, raita, tandoori chicken, leftover fresh cilantro, and a little chili garlic sauce. They were TO DIE FOR. Like little Indian tacos or shwarma wraps!
What's the Difference Between Raita and Tzatziki? Raita is made on the base of regular yogurt while tzatziki is made using Greek yogurt. Raita is thinner in consistency, while tzatziki has a dip-like thick texture. A raita will never have olive oil, while tzatziki is flavored with olive oil in certain recipes.
Yes, tzatziki is considered a healthier dip than hummus and sour cream. It contains several vitamins, a good amount of protein, and fewer carbohydrates and calories. The fat content of tzatziki is low too, which is not the case with other dips.
Yes, tzatziki is healthier than sour cream because it is made with Greek yogurt, which is higher in protein and lower in fat compared to sour cream. Greek yogurt contains beneficial nutrients like calcium and probiotics. Additionally, cucumbers and herbs add additional nutritional value.
Raita is the savory yogurt condiment that's served alongside everything—from Pakistani lamb biryani to Bengali shami kebabs and South Indian okra stir-fry. The tangy yogurt side offers a refreshing contrast and cooling reprieve from all the heavily spiced dishes.
Spices: Cucumbers pair well with spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Fruits: Cucumbers pair well with fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, and berries. Meats: Cucumbers pair well with meats such as chicken, salmon, and tuna. Seafood: Cucumbers pair well with seafood such as shrimp, crab, and oysters.
Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint. Traditionally, it is made from strained sheep or goat's milk yogurt, but a full-fat Greek yogurt works just fine in this dip.
Raita can be served as a dip or a side dish. In the latter case, it is easiest to view it as a salad. In India, people snack on raita between courses to cool the mouth, or they mix it first with rice before eating it with a curry.
At its core, raita is yogurt that's been mixed with a little bit of sugar, spices, and oftentimes vegetables and other textural components. When done right, raita has an addictive salty-sweet quality to it—it's the cooling foil to all of the hearty, warm spice-laden flavors of many Indian dishes.
Cucumber Raita also known as Indian Cucumber Yogurt Sauce is a simple side dish made by mixing grated or chopped cucumbers with thick yogurt/Greek yogurt, salt and ground cumin. Sometimes ground black pepper, coriander leaves and mint leaves are also used.
Raita and tzatziki share two similar base ingredients and some similar steps, but they are distinctly different. First, raita starts with dahi, a thinner salted yogurt, while tzatziki starts with thicker plain Greek yogurt. Tzatziki also has a heavy dose of lemon juice, making it decidedly more tangy than raita.
Raita can be served as a dip or a side dish. In the latter case, it is easiest to view it as a salad. In India, people snack on raita between courses to cool the mouth, or they mix it first with rice before eating it with a curry.
The word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century; it comes from the Hindi language. 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.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Servings 6
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