Mint Raita

Adapted from a recipe by chef Monish Gujral. Gujral is owner of Moti Mahal, a renowned, historic restaurant in Delhi, India. He is author of a number of cookbooks, including The Moti Mahal Cookbook: On the Butter Chicken Trail, and he is Cooks Without Borders’ Indian cuisine expert.

Monish shared this recipe to accompany Goat Biryani or Lamb Biryani. It makes a generous amount — enough to generously complement a whole biryani. Feel free to cut it in half or make one third if you don’t need as much.

Makes about 3 cups.

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk yogurt

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 1/2 tablespoons dried spearmint

3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Heat a small sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast, shaking the pan now and then, until they are fragrant, about 3 or 4 minutes. Place the toasted seeds in a mortar and grind with a pestle to a powder. Add the powder to the yogurt in the bowl.

3. Put the spearmint in the mortar (no need to wash it first) and grind it to a powder. Add it to the yogurt and cumin, along with the salt and 1/4 cup water. Whisk to combine, taste and add salt, if necessary.


Mint Raita

Mint Raita

Yield: Makes about 3 cups
Author: Recipe by Monish Gujral; adaptation and headnote by Leslie Brenner
Adapted from a recipe by chef Monish Gujral. Gujral is owner of Moti Mahal, a renowned, historic restaurant in Delhi, India. He is author of a number of cookbooks, including The Moti Mahal Cookbook: On the Butter Chicken Trail, and he is Cooks Without Borders’ Indian cuisine expert. Monish shared this recipe to accompany Goat Biryani or Lamb Biryani. It makes a generous amount — enough to generously complement a whole biryani. Feel free to cut it in half or make one third if you don’t need as much.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole milk yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons dried spearmint
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Heat a small sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast, shaking the pan now and then, until they are fragrant, about 3 or 4 minutes. Place the toasted seeds in a mortar and grind with a pestle to a powder. Add the powder to the yogurt in the bowl.
  3. Put the spearmint in the mortar (no need to wash it first) and grind it to a powder. Add it to the yogurt and cumin, along with the salt and 1/4 cup water. Whisk to combine, taste and add salt, if necessary.
recipe for raita to serve with biryani, what sauce do you serve with lamb biryani, Indian yogurt sauce
Sauce, Side Dish
Indian
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