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Podina raita
Mint yogurt dip
پودینہ رائتہ (podina raita): cool mint and coriander yogurt for the BBQ platter
Order a platter of tikka at a Burns Road or Gawalmandi grill and a steel bowl of pale green podina raita lands beside it without asking; it is the cooling counterweight to smoke and chilli, and at home it goes with biryani, pulao and kebab rolls too. Mint, a handful of coriander, one green chilli and freshly toasted cumin are whisked into thick yogurt until it is pourable but still clings to a piece of naan. The usual slip is blitzing the herbs in a blender with the yogurt, which thins it to a watery green drink; pound or chop the herbs separately and fold them in. Contains milk. Chef's tip: dry-roast the cumin seeds yourself and crush them at the last minute: the smoky, toasty smell is what makes a grill-house raita taste like one.
- Total time
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb full-fat plain yogurtchilled
- ⅞ oz fresh mint leavesabout a large handful
- ½ oz fresh corianderleaves and tender stems
- 1 green chilliseeds removed for less heat
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sugar (optional)optional, softens any sourness
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ red onion (optional)very finely chopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 1 tsp cumin seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat, shaking, until it darkens a shade and smells nutty. Tip it onto a plate to cool, then crush it coarsely in a mortar.
2 minStep 2: Pound ⅞ oz fresh mint leaves, ½ oz fresh coriander and 1 green chilli with ½ tsp salt in a mortar (or chop them very finely) until you have a rough, bright green paste.
3 minStep 3: Whisk 1 ⅛ lb full-fat plain yogurt in a bowl with ¼ cup cold water until smooth and just pourable, like double cream.
2 minStep 5: Chill for at least 10 minutes, then dust with the rest of the cumin and serve cold with grilled meats, pulao or parathas. It keeps for a day in the fridge, though the mint darkens a little.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does podina raita take?
- About 12 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 2 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of full-fat plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh mint leaves?
- Fresh coriander, same amount.
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