This mint raita recipe is a refreshing and cooling Indian accompaniment for biryani, pulao, paratha and kebabs. There is no cooking required and it gets ready in 10 minutes only. In Hindi, it is known as pudina raita.
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❤️About This Recipe
This is restaurant-style mint raita that is mostly served with tandoori appetizer plates like kebabs, paneer tikka or meat-based tandoori tikkas.
The consistency of this raita is a little on the thinner side compared to usual raitas like cucumber raita, boondi raita, onion tomato raita.
This thinner consistency is perfect for drizzling over or dipping your tandoori tikkas and kebabs.
At home, we serve this mint raita with spicy biryani or pulao.
The yogurt soothes your palate from spicy food and gives a cooling effect. Plus, mint helps in the digestion of this spicy, greasy food.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Mint leaves: Always use fresh mint leaves only. Discard the stems otherwise they make raita bitter tasting.
- Yogurt: Always use fresh (not sour) yogurt (homemade or store-bought).
- Green chili: Adjust the amount as per your liking spice level.
- Sugar: It is required for a balanced flavor.
- Black salt: it adds an umami flavor and a nice zing to the raita. There is no substitute for this ingredient.
- Roasted cumin powder: This is the must-add ingredient for any raita. To make this at home, dry roast the cumin seeds on medium-low until aromatic and dark in color. Once cools down, grind into the powder.
- Onion: It is optional. Whenever I make it to serve with pulao, biryani I do add onion for some crunch and texture. Otherwise, I would skip it.
👩🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
1) Take mint leaves, green chili and a couple of tablespoons of water in a small blender jar. Make a smooth puree. Add that puree into the yogurt. Whisk it really well until yogurt is smooth and mint paste mixed evenly.
2) Add salt, black salt, black pepper and roasted cumin powder. Mix well.
3) Add chopped onion.
4) Again mix and serve.
💭Expert Tips
- Make sure to get a smooth paste out of mint. We do not want to bite into leaves in this mint raita.
- If using store-bought yogurt and that is too thick, then you can add some more water to make the runny, drizzling consistency of raita.
- For a variation, you can add some cilantro (coriander leaves) while making the paste.
- Use chilled yogurt if serving raita right away. Otherwise, make mint raita a few hours ahead of time and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
🥣 Storage Instructions
- In the refrigerator, It stays good for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing option: You can make a big batch of mint paste and freeze the paste in an ice cube tray. Whenever craving for raita, defrost the single cube, add it into the yogurt along with spices and it is ready.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- Serve this mint raita with appetizers like veg kabab, paneer tikka, aloo tikka, or other non-veg tandoori starters.
- It can be served with veg pulao, tawa pulao or veg biryani.
- It can be served as a side with paratha like aloo paratha, paneer paratha, cabbage paratha, etc.
Check Out Other Raita Recipes
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📋 Recipe Card
Mint Raita (Pudina Raita)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Mint leaves loosely packed
- 1 small Green chili
- 1 ½ cups Plain yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon Black salt (Kala namak)
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar optional
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup Red onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Take mint leaves, green chili and a couple of tablespoons of water in a small blender jar. Make a smooth puree. Add that puree into the yogurt. Whisk it well until yogurt is smooth and mint paste mixed evenly.
- Add salt, black salt, black pepper and roasted cumin powder. Mix well.
- Add chopped onion. Again mix and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to get a smooth paste out of mint. We do not want to bite into leaves in this mint raita.
- If using store-bought yogurt and that is too thick, then you can add some more water to make the runny, drizzling consistency of raita.
- For a variation, you can add some cilantro (coriander leaves) while making the paste.
- Use chilled yogurt if serving raita right away. Otherwise, make mint raita a few hours ahead of time and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
- Freezing option: You can make a big batch of paste and freeze the paste in an ice cube tray. Whenever craving for raita, defrost the single cube, add it into the yogurt along with spices and it is ready.
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