RAITA
Apple Raita
1 apple
3 cups fresh curd
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
Peel and cut the apple in small pieces. Beat curd till smooth. Add apple in curd. Then add sugar, pepper and salt, in this mixture of apple and curd. Mix well and chill an hour before offering.
Apple Yoghurt Delight
4 Sweet firm apples - peeled, cored and grated
2 cups fresh yogurt - tied in muslin and hung for an hour to remove excess water
1/4 cup sharp cheese - grated
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard
1 cucumber - thinly sliced
1 tomato - thinly sliced
1 head lettuce - leaves washed and separated
1/2 tsp. asofoetida
Mix apples, yoghurt, cheese, salt and mustard together. Chill for an hour. On a flat offering dish arrange lettuce leaves in the center. Pile the apple mixture on top. Surround with evenly placed cucumber and tomato slices. Chill for another hour before serving.
Basic Dahi (Yoghurt) Recipe
Bring milk to a boil, being careful not to burn or boil over. The milk must at least reach 185° F for two minutes. Desirable temperature is 200° F. Exposure to high heat changes the protein structure in the milk, needed to make Dahi. If the protein structure is not changed, the milk proteins do not coagulate to a firm yogurt, making it stringy. The pasteurization process does not change the protein structure enough to make Dahi. The commercial pasteurization process heats milk to only 162° F for 15 seconds, killing unwanted harmful bacteria only. Ultra-Pasteurization process on the other hand heats milk to 280° F for 2 seconds killing unwanted harmful bacteria and changing the protein structures needed to make Dahi. You can also use evaporated milk thinned with 50% water to make Dahi. It has the suitable protein structures. If you elect to use evaporated milk or the Ultra-Pasteurized milk, you will have to warm it to about 120° F before introducing the starting culture.
Turn off heat. Let it cool to tepid warm, cooling to 122° F but not below 105° F. Add starting culture. Incubate in a warm place for 7 hours. You have to keep the milk between 98° F to 105° F for proper incubation. Wrap it in a blanket and put it on a heating pad at low for about 7 hours. When 7 hours have passed, you should have a perfect batch of Dahi. Store it in the refrigerator.
Be sure to save culture from the new batch of Dahi each time. All the commercial Yogurts have stabilizers and texture enhancing compounds added. When you make Dahi, the cultures grow and the stabilizers don't. So, with each new batch you get a purer bacteria than the previous batch. By the time you get to third batch, it is almost same as if you were having homemade Dahi in India.
Why use an electric heating pad? The human body temperature is 98.6° F. The heating pads are designed so that at "low" setting they will not cause burns. They may go up to 115° F, still in a safe range for the culture.
Temperature & Culture Relationship of Dahi:
Culture becomes dormant below 90° F.
Culture is most active at 115° F.
Culture starts to die over 125° F.
To make thicker Dahi, just add 4 Tablespoons or more of non-fat dry milk. Stir it in when milk has cooled down to 120° F. To make a creamier Dahi, add 1 pint (2 cups) of heavy whipping cream as the milk warms up. Heavy whipping cream available in the U.S. is Ultra-pasteurized, meaning it was heated to 280° F for two seconds. So, the protein structure is suitable to make Dahi. You can add the cream at any time to milk. Continue heating till the milk has reached 200° F. Turn off heat.
Dahi can be stored for up to 15 days at 40° F in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for about a month without affecting Dahi’s cultures. To do so, whip Yogurt and put in a freezer bag and freeze. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Boondi Raita #1
1 cup boondhi
2 cups fresh curds
1 cup milk
2 tsp. ground sugar
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. black salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Beat the curds and milk together till smooth. Add all other ingredients, including boondhi. Mix well, chill for 1-2 hours. Serve chilled.
To make your own Boondis, just make a flavored batter of chickpea flour (besan) mixed with a little yoghurt or water. Add spicing like ginger, turmeric, asofoetida, or aromatics. Push through a sieve or utensil with holes into hot ghee, and fry the small balls/noodles until they golden crispy. Set aside and drain.
Boondi Raita #2
6 Tbsp Boondis (ready made)
2 cups Curd
1 Tsp Salt
¼Tsp Red Chilli Powder
¼Tsp Black Salt
¼ Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
Blend Curd with water to get medium consistency. Add salt, red chilli powder, black salt, and cumin powder and mix well. Add Boondis to it and also add chopped coriander leaves. Let the Boondis soak well in the curd so that they become soft. Serve Chilled.
Coriander Raita
2 cups Curd
½ cup chopped Coriander Leaves
2 Green Chillies
1 Tsp chopped Ginger
1 Tsp-Salt
½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
¼ Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
¼ Tsp Sugar
¼ Tsp Black Salt
Mash the ginger with a little water into a paste. Mix curd with water to get the desired consistency. Add all the ingredients to it and mix well. Serve Chilled.
Cucumber Raita
2 cups Curd
1 cup Grated Cucumber
1 Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
¼ Tsp Black Pepper, ground fine
Mix curd and water to get the medium consistency of Raita. Add all other ingredients to it and mix well. Serve chilled.
Curd Raita
2 tbsps grated coconut
2 tbsps urad dhal (split black peas)
2 tbsps channa dhal (split yellow peas)
1" piece ginger finely chopped
6 green chillies finely chopped
1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sambhar masala
juice of 1/2 a lemon
a few curry leaves
salt to taste
Heat ghee and fry the urad dhal and channa dhal for a few minutes. Remove and splutter the mustard and cumin seeds. Grind the coconut , chillies, ginger, curry leaves and fried dhals with a little water to make a paste. Add the fried mustard and cumin seeds. Stir the mixture into beaten yogurt and sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and sambhar masala. Mix well.
Hasi Raita
1/2 cup each of cooked beans, cucumber, carrots, radish (or substitute)
3 cups yogurt
Handful of desiccated coconut
5 green chillies
1 tsp mustard
A pinch of asofoetida
Salt
Grind together coconut soaked in water with green chillies and asofoetida. Set aside. After the cooked vegetables cool down add yogurt to desired consistency, and mix well. Add the ground mixture and blend well.
Herbal Raita
Beaten thick curds 1 1/4 cups
Chopped coriander leaves 1 cup
Coconut 1/2 cup
Ghee or oil 1/2 tsp
Green chilli 1/2 tsp
Red Pepper flakes 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Heat half a tablespoon of ghee or oil, in a pan, and fry the coriander leaves along with the chilli, pepper and cumin seeds. Add the coconut, salt and curds, and grind into a smooth mixture. Keep aside in a bowl. Heat the remaining ghee or oil and the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, pour it into the raitha.
Narkeler Raita
1 1/2 tbls. ghee
1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tbl. peeled fresh ginger, grated or made into a paste
1 tsp. seeded, chopped fresh green chili (or to taste)
1 cup sweetened coconut, ground in a blender to a coarse powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup plain yogurt
Heat oil and fry the mustard seeds until they start to pop. Add ginger and chili. As soon as ginger is lightly browned, turn heat to low. Add coconut and stir several times. Remove from heat. Combine salt and lightly beaten yogurt in a bowl. Add the coconut mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help develop the flavors.
Pomegranate and Coriander Raita
2 cups Curd
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
½ cup chopped Coriander Leaves
2 Green Chillies
¼ Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
½ cup Pomegranate (Hindi term Anaar)
Mash the green chillies into a paste. In a bowl, mix curd and water to get a medium consistency. Add all other ingredients to it and mix well. Serve Chilled.
Raita #1
2 pounds Curd (Yoghurt)
1 tablespoon crushed mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups shredded cucumber
1 cup shopped coriander leaves
Place shredded cucumber in a sieve. Toss with a pinch of salt and let it sit for 30 minutes to allow extra water to drain away. Whisk the curd to a smooth consistency, add all the ingredients and stir well. Offer chilled.
Raita #2
1 cup sour cream
1 cup of yoghurt
1/4 finely chopped green bell pepper
1 green chilli
Small piece of ginger
Salt
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. Asofoetida
1/4 tsp. Red chilli powder
1tbsp. Ghee
1 Tomato
Few leaves of fresh Cilantro
Mix sour cream and yoghurt nicely and set aside. Take a small frying pan and heat 1 tbsp. of oil. Add chopped green bell pepper to it. Let it cook for few minutes. In the mean time chop the ginger and green chilli and add to the pan. When the peppers are done add turmeric powder, salt, asofoetida and red chilli powder to it. Now add fine chopped tomato to it and cook it for 2-3 minutes then add fresh corainder leaves to it. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 2 more minutes. Mix it with yogurt and sour cream mix, and offer.
Spicy Raita
2 tbsp. grated fresh coconut
3-4 dry red chillis
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
Curry leaves
1 tsp oil to fry this
3 cups buttermilk or curds (yogurt)
Salt to taste
1 tsp coconut oil
Fry methi and red chillies in oil and grind it to a paste with the grated coconut. Mix this masala in the buttermilk adding salt to taste. Keep it on the stove and keep stirring. Don't let this boil. Fry mustard seeds in coconut oil and season the raitha with this, add curry leaves. You can add sautéed eggplant, okra, etc. if you like.
Stuffed Tomato Raita
2 ripe tomatoes
1/3 cup kabuli channa (soaked overnight)
3 tbsp. channa dal
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. dhania (coridander) powder
1/2 tsp.garam masala
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tbsp. channa masala
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. clove powder
2 tbsp. ground sugar
1/2 tsp. black salt powder
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups fresh beaten curd
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
Pressure cook kabuli channa, dal, salt to taste, till very soft. Drain excess water, keep aside. Cut stem and 'wrinkle' tops off tomatoes. Hull carefully. Add pulp to the boiled channa. Mash coarsely, add all mix masala, salt to taste, channa masala, cinnamon-clove powder. Boil further till a soft lump is formed and water has evaporated. Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture. Secure tops with a toothpick. Microwave for 1 minute. Cool, and chill in a refrigerator. Meanwhile, beat the curd till smooth. Add sugar, salt and chill. Just before serving, transfer tomatoes straight up to a shallow bowl. Remove toothpicks. Pour beaten curd all over them. Sprinkle roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt. Garnish with coriander.
Tambli
4-5 red chillies
1/2 coconut
Tamarind size of a small ball
1/4 cup curds
1 tsp asofoetida
Salt to taste
2 cups water
In a food processor, grind the red chillies, coconut and tamarind. Mix this with the curds and the salt and add the water and serve cold.
Uttar Pradesh Fruit Raita
2 cups Curd (yogurt)
3 Bananas
1 small Pineapple
2 Apples
1 Ripe Mango
1 cup Pomegranate seeds
Chopped coriander leaves
Sugar, Salt & black pepper according to taste
Stir the curd well, mixing in salt and sugar. If curd is thick add little milk or water. Cut all fruits in small cubes and add to the curd. Garnish with chopped coriander and pomegranate.
Uttar Pradesh Potato Raita
2 Cups Curd (Yogurt)
2-3 boiled Potatoes
1/2 tsp. Roasted cumin powder
Rock (or kosher) salt to taste
1/2 tsp. Red chili powder
1/2 tsp. asofoetida
Handful finely chopped coriander leaves
1-2 Green chilies chopped
Cut boiled or fried potatoes into small pieces. Beat curd with water until smooth. Add salt, chili powder, green chilies, rock salt, asofoetida and cumin powder and mix well.
Now add potatoes. Garnish with coriander.
Uttar Pradesh Pyaz Raitha
2 cups curd
3-4 red chillies
1 tsp chopped mint leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
Mix curd with salt, cumin powder, pepper powder, chopped mint and stir well. Keep it for ½ an hour and serve.
Vegetable Raita
2 cups Curd
4 Tbsp finely chopped Cucumber
4 Tbsp finely chopped Tomato
4 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Asofoetida
½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper, ground fine
Mix Curd with water to get the desired medium consistency. Add chopped tomato, cucumber, and coriander leaves and mix well. Add salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder and black pepper. Serve chilled.
Vellirikkai Thogayal
1 large or 2 medium cucumbers
3 tbsps oil (sesame or ghee)
1 tspn black mustard seeds
1 tspn white urad dal
1/2 tspn fenugreek (methi)
2-4 dried red chillies
1/2 tbsp tamarind (tamcon) paste
1/4 tspn asofoetida
Salt to taste
Peel cucumber, slit into half, scoop out seeds. Slit into further narrow strips and cut tiny pieces as for kachumbar. Don't grate it, as you'll want the consistency of a 'chop'. Heat the oil and fry all ingredients except the tamarind. Mustard should stop spluttering and dal/methi should turn brown. Drain out these fried spices into a blender, leaving oil behind in pan. Add cucumber and stir fry for two minutes, no more. Add tamarind to spices in blender and with half the cucumber, run on low speed till everything looks coarsely ground and blended. Put in a bowl, add remaining cucumber pieces and mix well. Served chilled.
