Raita

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 (') and black mustard (') 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. ==Variants==

Raitas can be varied by using any of three types of ingredient as its base: vegetables, pulses, or fruits. These are mixed with yogurt and flavoured with a variety of seasonings to make different types of raita. A commonly made version is cucumber raita. Among the many regional variants is chukauni, potato raita, made in Nepal. It is flavoured with onion and coriander, and eaten with dishes such as batuk, fritters of black lentils. In Eastern Nepal, the basic dish is known as dahi kakro (), whereas in western regions of Nepal it is known as raito. Similar yoghurt with vegetable dishes in South India include kichadi and pachadi. For example, a South Indian tomato and yoghurt dish with coconut oil, curry leaves, and mustard seeds is called thakkali pachadi. File:Kheere Ka Raita (cropped).JPG|Cucumber raita File:Beetroot carrot raita picture.JPG|Beetroot and carrot raita File:Egg Kothu Chapathi with Onion Raitha-Thoothukudi-Tamil Nadu-DED 010 (cropped).jpg|Onion raita File:Boondhi raita picture.JPG|Chickpea raita File:Pomegranate raita (cropped).jpg|Pomegranate raita ==See also==