Onion raita - an Indian relish made with basic pantry ingredients. This incredibly simple yogurt based dish made with no hassle is an excellent accompaniment to pair with biryani or any flavoured rice. It is a gluten free, oil free and nut free dish.
Jump to:
Nothing could be simpler than this basic onion raita recipe. All you need is a bowl, a few ingredients and 5 minutes to spare. This homemade raita is also great to have as a side dish with a spicy curry such as my vegetable chettinad or kadai paneer to balance out the spiciness. The sharp taste of onion coupled with cooling yogurt creates a fabulous raita that makes your food extra special.
What is raita?
Raita is a classic Indian yogurt-based condiment made of yogurt, spices, herbs and some kind of raw or cooked vegetable, or fruit. There are countless varieties of raita recipes prepared in Indian cuisine. Check out cucumber raita on the blog.
Ingredients
- Yogurt (curd): I’ve used store-bought natural yogurt. Use homemade yogurt instead but ensure it’s not too sour.
- Spices: Roasted cumin powder adds a fabulous earthy flavour to this homemade raita and salt to season.
- Vegetables & Herbs: I have used red onion but you could use white onion or Indian onion or any other variety. Fresh coriander leaves add a lovely flavour and green chilli pepper adds a spicy kick.
Find the quantities and a short video in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to make onion raita for biryani?
Place the yogurt in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Now add sliced onions, finely chopped green chillies, a teaspoon cumin powder and salt to a bowl.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
Stir until well combined.
Check the salt and spices and add more if necessary.
Enjoy this delicious and easy Indian yogurt sauce as a condiment with biryani or pulao.
Substitutions and Variations
Chillies: Green chillies could be substituted with red chilli powder or jalapenos.
Tomato: Add the tomato to transform it into an onion tomato raita recipe.
Herbs: Not a fan of fresh coriander? exclude it or use chopped mint instead. It would be refreshing onion mint raita!
Vegetables: Transform it to vegetable raita by adding varieties of vegetables - bell peppers, cucumber, carrot, onion and tomato.
Extra spices: A pinch of chat masala or black salt adds a punch to the raita. It is available in most Indian or South Asian grocery stores.
Onion: For a classic onion raita, onions are sliced but you can use chopped onions if you want to.
Black Pepper: You could use black pepper powder instead of green chilies.
Storage
The onion raita tastes best when served fresh. Later, onion loses its crunch. However, it is still eatable.
Store the leftover raita in an airtight container in the fridge and consume it within a day or two. Sometimes water separates that doesn’t mean the yogurt has split. The excess water is because of the moisture released from the onion. Just stir in to combine.
Serving Suggestions
Biryani with raita and plain salna is a classic combination.
This simple raita goes well with south Indian dishes such as kothu parotta, tomato bath and bisi bele bath.
Pair it with pulao dishes - methi pulao, peas pulao, mint pulao and vegetable pulao.
Perfect to use in burgers, wraps and pita pockets.
Tips and Tricks
Yogurt: It doesn’t matter whether you use homemade or store-bought yogurt but ensure it is fresh and well within its expiration date.
Cumin: Use roasted ground cumin for a lovely flavour.
Onion: Onion has a sharp and pungent taste. To mellow the sharpness, soak sliced onion in cold water for 10-15 minutes before making raita.
Sour Yogurt: Make sure yogurt is not overly sour. However, if you want to use low-fat yogurt, add a pinch of sugar to reduce the sourness. For low-calorie raita, use low-fat yogurt.
If you intend to serve this Indian raita later, keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
FAQ
A yogurt-based side dish prepared with onions, herbs, chillies and spices with onion being the predominant ingredient.
Of course, you can. First, add a little water and whisk to dilute it slightly and then stir in the rest of the ingredients.
If yogurt tastes distasteful or smells odd, it indicates the raita has gone bad and is time to throw it out.
More Indian Condiment Recipes
Raw Mango Chutney: A spicy and tangy south Indian style chutney that is a classic accompaniment with rice and curry.
Eggplant Chutney (Vankaya Pacchadi): Spicy condiment perfect addition to a comforting meal.
Yogurt Mint Sauce: A classic condiment served with poppadums in Indian restaurants.
Allam Pachadi: Spicy, sour and sweet traditional condiment made of fresh ginger, tamarind, jaggery, and a few basic spices. This fresh ginger chutney is a classic accompaniment to a main meal and south Indian breakfast dishes.
Sweet Tamarind Chutney: Sweet, mildly spiced, sour sauce is one of the most essential multi-purpose Indian condiments used in chaats and as a dipping sauce for appetisers.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this easy Indian raita recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Easy 5 Minute Onion Raita
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 160 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Plain Yogurt
- 1 medium (or) 72 gms Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
- Salt as required
- 1 Green Chillies finely chopped
- handful Coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
- Place the yogurt in a bowl and whisk until smooth.160 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Plain Yogurt
- Now add sliced onions, finely chopped green chillies, a teaspoon cumin powder and salt to a bowl.1 medium (or) 72 gms Onion, 1 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder, Salt, 1 Green Chillies
- Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.handful Coriander leaves
- Stir until well combined.
- Check the salt and spices and add more if necessary.
- Enjoy this delicious and easy Indian yogurt sauce as a condiment with biryani or pulao.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
Looking for other yogurt recipes like this? Try these:
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
Leave a Reply