Boondi Raita

Raita is a traditional Indian side dish made with different vegetables and nankeen. This one is savory raita made with boondi. Boondi essentially translates to droplets. These delicious crispy pearls of chickpea batter are readily available at any Indian store and are definitely one of my favorite namkeens.

What is Raita?

Raita is a delicious Indian- Pakistani side dish made with Indian Dahi or Whole Milk Yogurt. The yogurt is whisked into a lusciously smooth and creamy. Finally spiced with some traditional spices like roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, salt, black salt, and black pepper powder. This side dish can be made by mixing yogurt with vegetables, fruits, or Boondi. Raita is served with a vast variety of Indian Flatbreads such as stuffed parathas and rice dishes like Biryani and Pulao, throughout the Indian Subcontinent.
This side dish is the heart of every Indian meal and you will find it at any restaurant or Indian Dinner Party.

What is Boondi Raita?

Boondi is tiny fried crispy balls made from besan aka chickpea batter with some spices. These are very easy to make at home and available at any Indian local grocery store. I really like the Deep Indian Kitchen Masala Boondi for this recipe. Boondi can go rancid, so make sure you check the expiration date on the packaging. If the boondi has gone bad, the smell of rancid oil will definitely make you toss the boondi out. Boondi Raita is a very scrumptious recipe and you must give it a try. These crispy balls made with besan batter are added to creamy yogurt with some spices. Served with delicious Biryanis and Pulao, it definitely plays a role of the perfect side dish.

Ingredients to Make This Raita Recipe

Dahi/ Yogurt - I highly highly recommend using Indian dahi for this recipe, for its authentic taste. I have a perfect recipe to make Indian Dahi at home on the blog. Boondi - Boondi is a delicious savory snack very popular in India and Pakistan made with chickpea flour batter. This snack is easily available at any Indian Store. I like to use Deep Indian Kitchen’s Masala Boondi for this recipe. Spices - Roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, black salt, black pepper powder, dried mint leaves, and salt are added to spice up this raita. Garnish - Garnish with herbs like freshly chopped cilantro and mint. And add a few boondis on the top right before serving for the crunch.