Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between tzatziki and cucumber 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.

A basic raita recipe is made of salted yoghurt, chopped onion, coriander, mint and ground or whole cumin seeds. It has a salty, sour, savoury taste that is also cooling and refreshing. What is the difference between Raita and Tzatziki? Raita is an Indian yoghurt condiment whereas Tzatziki is a Greek yoghurt dip.

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. Both pair well with heavily spiced, toasted, and grilled foods and can be served as either a dip or condiment.

However if you can't find it then Greek yogurt is the best alternative. We would avoid adding coconut milk as it could make the raita a little too thin, though you could use the thick coconut cream from the top of a can of coconut milk.

The English term for raita is mixed curd. Many foreign dishes are close to raita like curd salad, salad with curd seasoning and curd dip, but the preparation of these dishes is not even close to raita. Raita is often mixed with cucumber.

Then, using your hands or a clean kitchen towel, squeeze out the excess water from the cucumber before adding it to the yoghurt. This will help prevent the raita from becoming too watery. 2. Use Thick Yogurt: For a creamy texture, it's best to use thick Greek yoghurt for your cucumber raita.

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.

Leftover raita will keep for up to three days in the fridge. Remember to cover the sauce well, with cling film or an air-tight lid to prevent unwanted aromas from seeping in. You can also freeze raita.

Serve a cooling raita dip as a side for barbecues and spicy curries. This Indian yogurt condiment can be flavoured with cucumber, mint, coriander and more.

How to make raita Jamie Oliver? ›

Wash the carrot, then coarsely grate into a bowl. Add the natural yoghurt and nigella seeds. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix. Season to perfection, tasting and tweaking.

Try my hummus, tahini sauce, chipotle sauce, cilantro lime dressing, pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa, or guacamole next!

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.

Raita is sometimes referred to as "dahi".

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.

Origins of Tzatziki

It's thought to have been inspired by a similar Indian sauce called raita. Our plant-based version is similarly cool and creamy, but made without the dairy!

The word “tzatziki” is a loanword from modern Greek that has come to define a very specific sauce in Greek American cuisine. It's a yogurt-based sauce that is often served as a dip, dressing, or entire side dish. However, what we know of as the tzatziki today went through a lot of evolution in many different cultures.

Some might think of this dip as something similar to sour cream, but if you're wondering what tzatziki tastes like, it is slightly tangy, garlicky, and cool due to the use of cucumber and fresh herbs.