Raita
Indian side dish of yogurt with vegetables, fruit etc.
Raita (IPA: [ɾaːjt̪aː]) is a side dish and condiment in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt or "curd") together with raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, or pulses. The yogurt may be seasoned with herbs and spices such as coriander, roasted cumin seeds, mint, and cayenne pepper.
Raita is served alongside many Indian dishes such as pulao rice, and as a mild cooling accompaniment to spicy curries.
Etymology
The word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century, from Hindi. The word raita in Bengali and Hindi is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit word rajika or the derivative Hindi rai (pronounced "ra-ee") meaning black mustard seed, and tiktaka, meaning sharp or pungent.
Dish
Spices such as cumin (jīrā) and black mustard (rāī) are fried. This tempering is mixed with minced, raw vegetables or fruits (such as cucumber, onion, carrot, beetroot, tomato, pineapple, or pomegranate) and yogurt.
Raita is served as a side dish to be eaten with main course dishes, from pulao to curries. It is usually served chilled. It helps to cool the palate when eating spicy Indian dishes.
“Raita” enters the record as indian side dish of yogurt with vegetables, fruit etc. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Raita, Indian and side can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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