Eating full-fledged meals in the summer feels like a task. The heat drains your energy and your body only craves chilled beverages. That’s when the unsung hero of every Indian household enters – raita. Cool, creamy, and surprisingly versatile, a refreshing bowl of raita can instantly liven up your meals in the summer. It not only elevates your regular thali but also keeps your tummy happy and your body cool. Additionally, it’s rich in probiotics, eases indigestion and comes together in under 10 minutes. Whether you like your raita crunchy with boondi or loaded with vegetables, here are some delicious raita recipes to include in your summer diet.

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1. Dahi tadka (Tempered raita)

Ingredients:

1 cup curd

2 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp chopped garlic (optional)

1 finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

4-5 chopped coriander leaves

Method:

To make tempered raita, start by blending the curd. Now, heat ghee in a saucepan on a medium flame. Roast the jeera for about 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and onions and roast them until golden brown. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and sugar. Stir well to mix the ingredients. Add the curd to the saucepan and stir for 2-3 minutes. Take the dahi tadka off the gas and transfer it to a bowl. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. The dahi tadka is ready to serve.

Dahi tadka or tempered raita tastes all the more amazing with rice or paranthas. Even Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor swears by this raita recipe for summer meals. In an interview with Curly Tales, she shared that she found this recipe on Instagram, and since then, it has been her go-to dish.

2. Sannata raita

Ingredients:

1 cup curd

1 cup water

1 terracotta diya made with natural clay

1 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp mustard oil

1/4 cup ready-made savoury boondi

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Salt to taste

3-4 chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Start by whisking the curd and add water to it. Add jeera powder, salt, red chilli powder, and boondi. Stir well to mix the ingredients. To prepare the tadka, heat some mustard oil in the diya on a medium flame. Add hing and roast jeera until golden brown. Hold the heated diya carefully and drop it into the boondi raita. Cover the bowl of the raita with a lid for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and take the diya out of the raita. Garnish the raita with chopped coriander leaves. The sannata raita is ready to serve.

Sannata translates to complete silence. It is named so because this raita is made of hing and jeera, which silence all digestive issues, keeping tummy troubles at bay. Furthermore, it keeps the gut healthy by providing it with good bacteria. This sannata raita recipe also reduces heat in the stomach, keeping the body cool in summer. The terracotta diya used to make the tadka for the sannata raita infuses the dish with earthy flavours.

3. Beetroot and cucumber raita

Ingredients:

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup grated cucumber

1 cup grated, boiled beetroot

3-4 strands coriander leaves

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 clove garlic

Salt to taste

1 green chilli

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp sugar

3-4 mint leaves

Method:

In a blender, add coriander leaves, green chilli, yellow mustard seeds and garlic. Blend to make a coarse paste. Now, whisk the yoghurt in a bowl and add the coriander paste. Add jeera powder, red chilli powder, sugar, salt and turmeric. After squeezing out the excess water from the grated cucumber and boiled beetroot, add them to the yoghurt bowl. Mix the ingredients well and garnish the raita with mint leaves. You can add some water to the raita if you prefer a thin consistency. The cucumber and beetroot raita is ready to serve.

4. Cucumber raita

Ingredients:

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup grated cucumber

3-4 mint leaves

1 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp black salt

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp chaat masala

3-4 coriander leaves

Method:

In a bowl, whisk the yoghurt and add water if you prefer it runny. Add jeera powder, red chilli powder, black salt, chaat masala, and salt. Add the grated cucumber to the yoghurt and mix all the ingredients. Garnish the cucumber raita with mint and coriander leaves.

5. Vegetable raita

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped tomato

Salt to taste

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup chopped cucumber

3-4 chopped coriander leaves

2-3 chopped mint leaves

1/2 tsp black salt

1 tsp chaat masala

1 tsp jeera powder

A pinch of red chilli powder

Method:

Start by whisking the yoghurt in a bowl and add salt, chaat masala, jeera powder, black salt and red chilli powder. Add chopped cucumber, onion and tomato. Stir the raita to mix the ingredients well. Garnish the vegetable raita with coriander and mint leaves.

6. Pineapple raita

Ingredients:

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup chopped pineapple

2 tbsp pomegranate

1 tsp chaat masala

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp jeera powder

3-4 mint leaves

A pinch of red chilli powder

Method:

Whisk the yoghurt in a bowl and add black pepper, jeera powder, chaat masala, red chilli powder and salt. Add chopped pineapple and stir well. Garnish the pineapple raita with mint leaves and pomegranate.

7. Mango raita

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped mango

1 green chilli

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup yoghurt

Salt to taste

1 tsp black salt

3-4 tbsp water

Method:

In a blender, add mint leaves, green chilli, 4-5 mango chunks, and water. Blend the ingredients to a fine paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add yoghurt, salt, and black salt. Stir well and garnish the mango raita with mint leaves and mango chunks.

Which one of these refreshing raita recipes are you trying this summer?

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