Raita (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between tzatziki and raita? ›

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.

That said, it's always made with yogurt—typically plain, full-fat yogurt—spices, and some kind of fruit or vegetable that will add heft and texture to the creamy spiced yogurt. Some people finish the raita with a handful of fresh herbs or even fresh, hot chilies.

Call it what you like – raita, pachadi, curd dip, or the Indian cousin of Greek tzatziki, this yogurt condiment is healthy and adaptable. Summers in India are synonyms with cooling foods from seasonal fruit and ice cream to lassi, chaas, kadhi and raita.

Some raitas are happy to sit on the sidelines, while others are a meal in themselves.

If you like to have onion curd raita, you need to change this habit. This is because as a food item curd is cold in nature, while onions produce heat in the body. The combination of this hot and cold can cause skin allergies like rashes, eczema, psoriasis and other issues.

Several people consume curd in direct and indirect ways at night (raita, kadhi, dessert). So the question arises, should you stop consuming curd completely at night? Shilpa Arora, a renowned Health Practitioner, Nutritionist and certified Macrobiotic Health Coach, says, "It is absolutely fine to have curd at night.

If you do not use a firmer yogurt to start, you will end up with a watery Raita. Since you used regular yogurt and actually added water, perhaps you either used fewer cucumbers, did not let yours sit in the refrigerator to blend the flavors as long as I did, or perhaps you just like it watery.

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.

Raita is a delicious Indian side that has a cooling effect. It's made with whisked plain yogurt and is really versatile - so you can add your favorite mix ins to it. Its similar to tzatziki but not as thick and can be made sweet or savory.

Raita is a simple plain yogurt or curd-based sauce or dip, flavoured with vegetables or sometimes fruit. It's usually served as a cooling side dish with Indian food.

Is raita healthy? ›

Raita is a nutrient dense food with high quality protein and it is a potential source of vitamins and minerals. It contains live bacteria such i.e., lactobacillus bulgaricus, streptococcus thermophilus. 3. These active bacteria act as probiotics known to have positive effects on digestion.