Think of raita as a salad mixed with yogurt. Raitas are usually named after the main ingredient they are made with. There is cucumber raita, Mooli (Daikon Radish) Raita, tomato raita and ‘boondi’ raita. Boondi raita has deep fried droplets of batter mixed with salt and cayenne pepper (called boondi – which roughly translates to ‘drop’ in Hindi) and then mixed in yogurt. It is a very popular North Indian preparation. This is one of those raitas that is also served as a snack.

Raita: A Delicious Yogurt & Vegetable Side Dish

Because of its cooling, probiotic qualities, raita is usually served with a spicy main dish like pulao. The intent is to cool down the stomach from the spice assault and promote easy digestion. While it is delicious enough to have by itself, it is rarely served as a stand-alone dish.

Tomato Onion Tadka Raita

In addition to tomato and onion, I like to add cilantro and tender, Indian green chili pepper. This brings both flavor and heat to the dish. What I like the most about this dish, is the tempering. I love how this simple tempering can really enhance the flavor of the dish! I prefer leaving the tempered ingredients on the dish and mix them just before eating, so the crunch is retained.

Tadka (tempering)

Curd Rice

Because of its similarity to raita, I think curd rice deserves a mention here. I love this dish, which is made with mushy steamed rice, yogurt. Cilantro, tender green chili peppers, cucumbers and pomegranate seeds enhance the flavor. While raita is a side dish, curd rice is typically a main dish. It is usually paired with lemon or lime pickle and tastes amazing.

Curd (Yogurt) Rice

If you love yogurt-based recipes, check these out:

• Curd (Yogurt) Rice Recipe
• Raw Plantain with Yogurt Curry
• Mooli (Daikon Radish) Raita
• Kadi-Spicy Buttermilk Soup
• Chilled Cucumber Soup with Yogurt and Dill

Also check out some of our deliciously cooling summer recipes here:

• Summer Quinoa Salad
• Raw Red Bell Pepper Soup
• Watermelon Smoothie With Ginger and Lime
• Romaine Ginger Smoothie
• Kaanji – A Fermented Drink
• Easy Homemade Kefir

Do you love our posts and recipes? We’d LOVE to see your creations so click a photo and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #healthyindian3 and please give a star (★) rating below. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube & Tumblr for healthy, easy and delicious recipes and lifestyle tips.

*There could be affiliate links in this blog. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Tomato Onion Tadka Raita

This tangy, crunchy, spicy raita with tempering, is a perfect companion for brown rice or quinoa vegetable pulao. Delicious probiotic recipe for a hot summer day!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Indian, probiotic, Raita, seasoning, Spices, Tomato, tomato onion raita, Vegetarian, Yogurt

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Raw, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 65kcal

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Yogurt - Organic, Plain, Whole Milk
• 1/2 Cup Onion - Fine Cut
• 1/2 Cup Tomato - Fine Cut
• 2 Peppers Green Chili Pepper - Small, Fine Cut
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro - Fine Cut
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste

Tempering

• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds - Whole
• 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal - (Split Black Gram)
• 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds - Whole
• 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

Instructions

• Cut onion, tomato, cilantro, green chili pepper and set them in a bowl. Add salt and mix well.
  
• Heat oil in pan and sauté tempering ingredients (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, dry red chili) till mustard and cumin seeds splutter.
  
• Add yogurt to the bowl with the cut vegetables, mix well and add tadka (tempering) on top. Mix well before eating.
  
• Serve fresh with hot Brown Rice Vegetable Pulao.
  

Notes

Goes well with, Brown Rice Vegetable Pulao and Quinoa Vegetable Pulao.

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Onion Tadka Raita

Serving Size

 

75 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

65

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

3

g

5

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Cholesterol

 

8

mg

3

%

Sodium

 

178

mg

8

%

Potassium

 

183

mg

5

%

Carbohydrates

 

6

g

2

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

320

IU

6

%

Vitamin C

 

5

mg

6

%

Calcium

 

85

mg

9

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.