Vegan Mixed Vegetable Raita
A simple and easy recipe for vegan mixed vegetable raita with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mint, and coriander (cilantro). For anyone who loves tzatziki or a creamy cucumber salad and would like to try something new in this direction, I can only warmly (or better refreshingly) recommend Raita, which is wonderfully refreshing and flavorful at the same time. This “Indian tzatziki” can be served as a side dish or salad and is a culinary delight, especially on hot days. Let me show you how you can easily make tasty raita yourself.
“Indian tzatziki”
Raita is often described as an Indian yogurt dip, but it is more like a side dish, or, with the amount of veggies I use, a salad. I prefer to eat raita straight from the fridge as a snack, or as a side dish with khichari, lentil dishes, curries, falafel, or simply with potatoes or rice.
What differentiates raita from its Greek counterpart are the consistency and the spices. While tzatziki tends to be thicker (the water is removed from the cucumbers by salting and squeezing, and thicker yogurt is used), raita can or should be thinner.
Tzatziki is also seasoned with dill and garlic, while raita is seasoned with mint and, because I like it best this way, coriander (although dill can also be added). I like to add finely chopped onion to Raita, but no garlic. Spices are also added to Raita, more on that in a moment.
A little more about the consistency and what raita is served with: During my vacations in India (I was there for almost three months in total), I always got raita as part of my “tali” (a combination of various Indian dishes, always served with rice, usually with chutneys too).
In the very cheap eateries (restaurants would be an exaggeration), where a thali often costs just 50 cents to 1 euro/dollar, raita was often super watery, more like a spiced water dish with a hint of yogurt and maybe the odd piece of vegetable.
Raita may be thin. Nevertheless, water with a touch of yogurt and hardly any vegetables is not enough for me. In better restaurants, you get raita with lots of yogurt and vegetables – like here.
How do you make raita yourself?
Making raita yourself is very easy. Let’s take a look at what is vegetable raita made of.
Ingredients
Raita contains just a few simple ingredients that combine to create a delicious, tasty combination. There are many different types of raita: cucumber raita, raita with mint, raita with tomato, raita with beet, raita with … I like to make a cucumber, tomato, and onion raita with the following ingredients (as always, you can find the exact quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post):
- cucumber
- tomatoes
- red onion
- ground cumin *)
- fresh coriander (cilantro) and fresh mint
- soy yogurt (the “normal” rather than the thick skyr. Slso don’t use sour cream) – or another plant-based yogurt that you like to eat
- chili powder: just a tiny bit. The slight spiciness paired with the cooling yogurt and cucumber go so well together.
- kala namak *): It gives the raita a unique, slightly spicy and sulphurous taste and enhances the overall flavor of the dish. If necessary, you can also use ordinary salt. It will taste different, but still good.
- black pepper
Vegetable raita is flexible. You can also use the following veggies instead of or with cucumber, tomatoes, and onion: peppers, radishes, beet (raw and finely grated), and/or carrot (also finely grated).
Preparation
The preparation is so simple that it almost doesn’t deserve its own chapter. The fresh herbs should be finely chopped, the vegetables chopped as small as possible, the yogurt mixed with the spices, then everything stirred together and placed in the fridge before serving. Done. Enjoy.
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Vegan Mixed Vegetable Raita with Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, and Mint
Easy recipe for vegan mixed vegetable raita with tomato, cucumber, onion, mint, and cilantro. This 'Indian Tzatziki' is both flavorful and refreshing.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 2 tomatoes
- 1/2 to 1 red onion (depending on the size and how much you like raw onion)
- approx. 1 hand full of fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint
- 1 tsp ground cumin *)
- 400-500 g (approx. 1.8 cups or 16 oz) soy yogurt (the "regular one" rather than a thick one)
- 1 pinch of chili powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp kala namak *) (or 1/2 tsp regular salt) (see note)
- black pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop the cucumber, tomatoes, and the peeled onion.
- Also finely chop the herbs (coriander and mint leaves). This will lead to approx. 3 tbsp. chopped herbs.
- Take a small non-stick frying pan and toast the cumin seeds over medium heat for ½ to 1 minute, without oil, stirring occasionally. You don't want it to burn.
- Put the yogurt in a bowl and add the finely chopped coriander and mint, cumin, chili powder, kala namak (or salt), and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.
- Now add the finely chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and onion, stir well again, and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir well again before serving.
Notes
- Cumin: You can also buy roasted cumin *). As I haven't found another use for it yet, I roast it myself. If necessary, you can also skip this step. Your raita will still be delicious. But it will be even more delicious and aromatic with the roasted cumin.
- Herbs: You can also use just mint or coriander. Or dill. Or even all together.
- Kala namak: If possible, use kala namak *) instead of salt, as it gives your raita a unique flavor. If you don't have kala namak at home and don't want to buy it for a single dish, try the vegan egg salad. My kala namak is light pink (instead of dark, as is often the case) and is from the Indian supermarket. It is quite light in taste, which is why I have to use 3/4 to 1 tsp. Please try using 1/2 to 3/4 tsp first.
- Vegetables: You can also make raita with peppers, radishes, beet (raw and finely grated), and/or carrots (also finely grated).