Boondi raita is a cooling Indian side dish that goes perfectly with any curry, biryani or pulao. Made with chilled yogurt, boondi, and a few spices, it is creamy and oh-so-delicious. A quick and easy raita recipe that comes together in 10 minutes!
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About Boondi Raita
Out of all the raita recipes like onion raita, beetroot raita and baingan raita, I like boondi raita the best because of how easy and tasty it is. And it complements practically all your vegetarian, meat and chicken main dishes, especially rice-based dishes like chicken biryani, yakhni pulao, and chana pulao, to name just a few.
Boondi, for folks who don't know what it is, consists of tiny savoury balls made with chickpea flour or besan that are fried to a crunchy texture. It can be sweet or savoury, depending upon what you are making, but for raita, savoury boondi is used.
Savoury boondi is also of two kinds: plain boondi and masala boondi. Masala boondi as the name suggests, has spices added to it, but I prefer using plain boondi for raita since I am in control of the spices. Masala boondi is too sharp and spicy for my taste, unfortunately.
Now, before you shoot me an eye-roll emoji and say how is it a 5-minute recipe, Saima, if I have to make the boondi first... let me assure you that you don't. Although boondi can be made at home (I never have FYI), you don't have to since it's so readily available in any Indian or Pakistani grocery. Just grab a box, and you're ready to roll.
Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down.
1. Boondi: Like I said earlier, savoury boondi comes in two kinds, masala boondi and plain boondi, and I use plain boondi. My understanding of any kind of raita is that it is a cooling dish, and it is supposed to balance the heat and spice of Indian dishes, generally speaking. If the raita itself is very spicy, then the point of it is lost. That being said, everyone has their own thresholds for spice, so if you have tried raita with masala boondi and like it.. by all means, go ahead and make it with masala boondi:)
2. Yogurt: Please use plain, unflavoured, unsweetened Indian yogurt for making raita, also known as dahi or curd. The other kinds simply do not work for raita, or any Indian dish that calls for yogurt, for that matter. You can use Greek yogurt if that's all you have, but you will have to thin it out first. It still won't taste exactly the same as dahi, however. Fair warning.
Note: Of course, you can use homemade yogurt if you want, which is the best kind anyways. Here's a recipe for making Indian style yogurt if you really want to make a homestyle raita from scratch!
3. Kala Namak (Black Salt): A pinch of this pink looking salt that turns darker when added to anything, is a must in raita in my opinion, especially if the yogurt you are starting with is store-bought and not very sour, as tends to be the case here in North America. Kala namak is easily available in Indian and Pakistani groceries and adds a lovely tang to the raita. Just don't add too much, or the raita will become too intense.
4. Salt: Any kind of regular salt (I use sea salt) is essential for raita, even though you might have added black salt (above). If your raita does not taste 'right', it's probably because it's not been salted. My best recommendation would be to taste as you go, since the saltiness for a dish is also a personal preference.
4. Cumin (roasted and ground): Don't use pre-ground cumin powder that comes in a packet, please. Try making some fresh powder from cumin seeds, and you'll see the difference immediately! The good news is that it's really easy to make, unlike the boondi. More on this below.
5. Kashmiri red chilli powder: This variety of chilli powder is perfect for raita as it is quite mild compared to regular red chilli and also adds a more vibrant red color to anything it's added to. However, it is not a strictly necessary ingredient (keeping in line with my thinking that raita should be mild and easy on the tastebuds), and you can omit it if you don't have it. If you do, add some for flavor and colour.
6. Coriander or cilantro leaves: Freshly chopped coriander leaves give a fresh and vibrant look to the raita and add more flavor. Do use them if you have some in your fridge.
Tip: If the coriander stalks are not too thick, chop them finely right alongside the leaves for even more flavor and a very slight crunch!
Instructions
1. Roast and grind the cumin seeds: Take the cumin in a small frypan and heat on medium heat, while gently stirring the seeds. When you see that they start to become darker and give off a distinct aroma, take the frypan off the hob and let the seeds cool down a bit. Then, grind coarsely in a spice grinder or by hand in a mortar and pestle. You don't want a very finely ground powder, just enough to get a medium-coarse grit. Keep the cumin aside.
Note: Since cumin is an everyday spice, I grind a large batch and keep it in a spice jar for regular use. It seems counter-intuitive to me to prep just the amount required for the recipe!
2. Whisk the yogurt: If the yogurt is thick and clumpy, use a wire whisk to bring it a smooth consistency. Add a little water if required, not too much.
3. Add the powdered spices: Tip in the salt, black salt, cumin, and Kashmiri chilli powder if using, and whisk well to make sure they're well-mixed with the yogurt.
4. Add the boondi and coriander leaves: Finally add the boondi, and use a spoon to make sure the boondi is well coated with the yogurt. Sprinkle a little chopped coriander on it, let the boondi soak up all that goodness, and your boondi raita is ready to be served!
To soak the boondi or not?
Here's the thing. Some people like their boondi slightly crunchy, so if that's what you like, add the boondi directly to the yogurt without soaking it. The boondi will eventually soften anyway the longer you keep the raita.
If you want to soak the boondi first, add it to a bowl of lukewarm water and let it soak for 4-5 minutes. Drain the water, then add the boondi to the yogurt.
If you can't make up your mind, try both and go with what you like!
Top Tips
1. Use unflavored, unsweetened yogurt or homemade dahi for raita.
2. Do roast and grind the cumin seeds before adding them to the yogurt.
3. Skip the Kashmiri chilli if you don't care for a slightly spicy raita.
4. Use masala boondi or plain boondi depending on what you like. If using masala boondi, go easy on the the powdered spices.
5. Soak the boondi if you like soft boondi in raita. For a slightly crunchy effect, add the boondi directly to the yogurt.
Serving Suggestions
Serve boondi raita with any main dish of your choice, even if you're having a very simple meal of dal chawal (lentils and rice). The raita will elevate the simplest of meals too!
Some vegetarian main dishes that go very well with raita besides Indian rice preparations are mixed vegetable sabzi, dry aloo sabzi, and aloo gobi. And if meat-based dishes are your jam, do make this raita to go with dal gosht, kofte (meatballs in gravy), or chicken do pyaza.
If you tried this recipe, do consider giving it a star rating and a comment below. And if you’re on Instagram, feel free to tag me so I can see your creation. I'd love to hear from you! Thank you:)
📖 Recipe
Boondi Raita
Equipment
- Small frypan
- Spice grinder OR mortar and pestle
- whisk
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ cup boondi plain or masala boondi
- 2 cups yogurt plain
- ¼ teaspoon black salt kala namak
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or less
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
Instructions
- Put the cumin seeds in a small frypan on medium heat. Gently stir the seeds with a small spoon until the seeds turn darker in colour and give off a distinct aroma. Let them cool down, then grind coarsely in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- Whisk the yogurt in a bowl until it is smooth and lump-free.
- Add the ground cumin, salt, black salt, and Kashmiri chilli powder. Whisk again to mix the spices in.
- Add the boondi directly if you want a slightly crunchy raita. Set it aside for 5 minutes so that the boondi absorbs the yogurt and becomes slightly softer. If you want the boondi to be still softer, soak it in lukewarm water for 5 minutes, drain and then add to the yogurt.
- Garnish the raita with some chopped coriander leaves and serve with your main dish.
Notes
- Use unflavored, unsweetened yogurt or homemade dahi for raita.
- Do roast and grind the cumin seeds before adding them to the yogurt.
- Skip the Kashmiri chilli if you don't care for a spicy raita.
- Use masala boondi or plain boondi depending on what you like. If using masala boondi, go easy on the the powdered spices.
- Soak the boondi in lukewarm water for 5 minutes if you like soft boondi in raita. For a slightly crunchy effect, add the boondi directly to the yogurt.
- Kala namak, boondi and Kashmiri chilli powder are available in your local Indian and Pakistani groceries.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: