What is Rata?

Raita is a cold yogurt based soup made with chopped vegetables or fruits
The yogurt is called Dahi, it is natural yogurt made from whole fresh milk with live culture. The soup may be thin or thick. It may be salted, sweetened, or salted sweetened.
Ground dry-roasted cumin seeds is a key ingredient in most of the Raita recipes. The seeds are roasted in a dry hot skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes till the color of seeds starts to turn dark brown. The dry-roasted seeds are cooled off. Normally, you put the roasted seeds on a paper, fold the paper over. Roll a rolling pin over the folded paper crushing the seeds to form a coarse powder. You can also use coffee grinder, food processor or old fashioned mortar with a pestle

Vegetable Raita

Vegetable Raita is common at lunch time especially during summer months for cooling affect. A typical vegetable Raita has following ingredients.

1. Yogurt (Dahi)
2. Ground dry-roasted cumin seeds
3. Fine grain sea-salt
4. Ground Cayenne pepper
5. One or more of the following vegetables: Cucumber grated, Carrots grated, Onions thinly sliced, Spinach leaves coarsely chopped, Tomato flesh diced
The most popular Vegetable Raita is made with grated Cucumber and thinly sliced onions, though it is considered as a harmful combination by Ayurvedic healing
6. One or more Garnishing: Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Peppermint, Finely chopped Serrano (Green chili peppers)

Meetha Raita (Sweetened Yogurt and Fruit)

Meetha Raita is popular on Sunday lunch at every High School and College hostel. A typical fruit Raita consists of following

1. Yogurt (Dahi)

2. Natural Sour cream or freshly made Indian cultured butter (Makhan) Optional for thickness

3. Saffron

4. Dash of fine grain sea-salt

5. Honey or Sugar

6. Kewra essence

7. Small amount pf citric acid, preferable juice from sweet lime (Musambi)

8. One or more of the following seasonal fruits: Apples, Cherries, Pears, Banana, Phalsa, Guava, Cantaloupe, Orange

9. Finely chopped fresh Peppermint leaves

Namkeen Meetha Fruit Raita (Salted Sweetened Yogurt and Fruit)

Namkeen Meetha Raita is made with yogurt and seasonal fruits. A typical Raita consists of following

1. Yogurt (Dahi)

2. Fine grain sea-salt

3. Ground Cayenne Pepper

4. Ground dry-roasted cumin seeds

5. Jaggery or sugar

6. One or more of the following seasonal fruits: Apples, Cherries, Pears, Banana, Phalsa, Guava, Cantaloupe, Orange

7. Finely chopped fresh Cilantro

8. Finely chopped fresh Peppermint leaves

Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita is a ceremonial cold soup served on social and religious functions in North India. Boondi are deep-fried dumplings made of Chickpea flour (Besan), about the size of a baby green peas. These dumplings are soaked in hot water, the water is squeezed out leaving behind empty soft shells of Besan with minimum trace of fry oil. Consistency of the soup is thin. Typical recipe ingredients follow:

1. Yogurt (Dahi)

2. Ground dry-roasted cumin seeds

3. Fine grain sea-salt

4. Ground cayenne pepper

5. Boondi

6. Water

Potato Raita

Potato Raita is a ceremonial cold soup served on social and religious functions in North India. Potatoes are boiled to just tender, peeled and diced to about ¼" cubes. The soup is thin, spicy hot with ground cayenne pepper.

1. Yogurt (Dahi)

2. Ground dry-roasted cumin seeds

3. Fine grain sea-salt

4. Ground cayenne pepper

5. Diced Boiled potatoes

6. Water

7. Chopped Cilantro

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