The Restaurant-Famous Mint Raita
I’m still not sure what to call this recipe. I suppose the yogurt makes it a raita yet the herbs and blended texture pull it into the Chutney category. Restaurants are divided about its naming too. Some call it Pudina (mint) Chutney, others simply Raita. On Instagram, a 60% raita/40% chutney vote led me to the final, inconclusive decision of calling it both – Mint Raita OR Yogurt Chutney. Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! Whatever you’d like to call it, order kebabs, biryani, pulao, or any ‘dry’ menu item at restaurant and you’ll likely get this refreshing light-green raita/chutney alongside it. Restaurants love to serve this as a side dish because it: More cooling sides: Kachumber Salad, Cucumber/Veg Raita, and Dahi Bhalla.
Ingredients for Mint Raita
This recipe requires 7 easy-to-find ingredients:
How to make Mint Raita
Tip: Make sure the herbs are very well blended. If you’ve had it at restaurants, you’ll notice the herbs don’t have a bite to them. That’s what we’re going for here.
How to Store (or Freeze)
This raita keeps well in the refrigerator as-is or in the freezer before adding the yogurt.
To refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze: Triple the quantity. Before adding the yogurt, place the green chutney in a small airtight bag or container and freeze. When ready to prepare, thaw the frozen solid at room temperature (don’t microwave!). Then add it to the whisked yogurt (Step 3).
Final Tips
As I mentioned earlier, the most important tip is to make sure the herbs are very finely ground so that no leaves are visible. You want to ensure that there’s no bite to the herbs in the final product. Whisk the yogurt until it’s smooth and no longer grainy before adding the herbs. Don’t add yogurt as a thinner along with the herbs into the grinder as it’ll lose its silky smooth texture. Instead, use water or lemon juice to help grind the herbs.
Variations & Add-Ins:
This is one of those recipes in which the quantities don’t have to be precise at all. Feel free to play around with the ratios and add in whatever spices and ingredients you’d like. Some add-ons I’ve tried & liked:
chaat masala freshly ground black pepper black salt
Serve this Mint Raita with:
Easy Pakistani Aloo Ki Tikki – Potato Cutlets Seekh Kebab Biryani! Easy Shami Kabob (Instant Pot and Stovetop) Chapli Kabab Chana Pulao (Chickpea Pilaf) Pakistani Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao)
