Raita is a traditional condiment in Indian cuisine that is commonly served as a side dish or a cooling accompaniment to spicy dishes. It is made by combining yogurt with chopped vegetables such as cucumber, onion, and tomato, along with various herbs and spices like cumin, coriander, and mint. Raita is typically served chilled and has a refreshing and tangy taste that complements the heat and spiciness of many Indian dishes. In addition to its flavour, raita also has several health benefits, as yogurt is rich in probiotics and protein, while vegetables add fibre and essential vitamins and minerals to the dish.
This Maple-Mint Apple Raita is cooling, refreshing, and delicious and can be enjoyed alongside curries, as a dip for chips and raw veggies, or even as a salad dressing. Indian black salt is salt with sulphur still attached, so it has a fantastic hard-boiled egg smell and flavour. It’s an acquired taste, to be sure; look for it in East Indian grocers, or skip it if you’re not a fan of that sulphurous aroma.
Ingredients
1 large apple, grated
1 cup (250 mL) Greek or other thick, plain yogurt
2 Tbsp (30 mL) raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup
¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) fine sea salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) white pepper or more to taste
Garnish with a generous pinch of Indian black salt, optional
Method
- Wash and grate the apple into a bowl. Toss with a pinch of salt and a splash of cider vinegar and transfer to a sieve over a bowl to drain, while you prepare the rest. The longer it drains, the better and the less watery the raita will be in the end.
- In a medium bowl, add the yogurt, vinegar, mint, coriander, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
- Squeeze the apple a few times to get the last of the juice out, then add it to the yogurt mixture; stir well to combine.
- Garnish with a pinch of sulphurous black salt, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Makes about 2 cups (500 mL)
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From Hudson, Quebec, now living in Port Hope, Ontario, Signe is a restaurant chef-turned-writer who tells award-winning stories and creates delicious recipes for LCBO’s Food & Drink, Manna Pro Hearty Homestead, The Harvest Commission, and Today’s Parent; she published her first book – Happy Hens & Fresh Eggs; Keeping Chickens in the Kitchen Garden with 100 Recipes – in 2015.
