Easy boondi raita recipe

Delicious raita full of chickpea boondi, spiced yogurt, and cilantro, this is a perfect side dish to serve with your curry. We first tried spicy boondi raita when we visited Southern India, it’s not typical of that area but the family we were eating with originated from Northern India. It was so unusual that we knew we must make it when we got home, this is our version of this delicious dish.

Why you’ll love this easy raita recipe

• It’s unusual and an underrated recipe in Indian cuisine, it’s easy and it’s delicious.

• It’s great cooling raita to serve alongside an Indian meal.

• Quick and easy to make, you’ll have it on the table in 10 minutes.

• You can rest assured it’s 100% vegetarian.

What is raita?

A raita is a yogurt dish, it usually has a very cooling effect, which is ideal when you have a spicy curry.

Depending on which type of raita you are making, they can have very different flavors.

Some can be a little sour due to the taste of the yogurt, whereas some can be sweet if sugar has been added.

You can have totally cooling raita recipes and then you can have spicy raita, with the addition of red and green chilies and red chili powder.

Some include vegetables such as beetroot and cucumber, and some, like this recipe, include boondi.

There are so many different possibilities and combinations.

What is boondi?

Boondi is deep-fried gram flour balls, these tiny balls are fried, they are crispy, and they look a little like water droplets, hence the name ‘boond’ which is water droplets in Hindi.

Some people describe them as deep-fried boondi pearls which is a great way of describing them.

Where can I get boondi?

If you’re living in India, there’s every chance that plain boondi will be available in most grocery stores in the North.

Elsewhere in the world, you’ll usually find it in an Indian grocery store or available to buy online.

Soft or crunchy boondi?

If you want crunchy boondi, then make sure that you add your plain boondi just before you are going to serve, as they do soak up the yogurt and become a little soft.

If you prefer your boondi soft, then soak them in warm water for approximately 5 minutes and then squeeze all the water out of them before adding them to the raita.

Experiment with flavors

All the Indian chefs that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, have played with flavors, they’ve taken a recipe and made it their own, so it’s perfectly fine for you to do that too when you make boondi raita!

Try adding chaat masala which will give a tangy taste to your raita, chaat masala also gives a low heat, so add a little at a time if you are heat sensitive.

We’ve used roasted cumin seeds but if you prefer, and it is more the traditional way, use roasted cumin powder.

What do you serve boondi raita with?

Boondi ka raita is perfect as part of an Indian thali, it’s cooling to a hot curry like vindaloo or jalfrezi.

It compliments dum aloo, aloo Paratha, and rice dishes such as pilau rice and jeera rice.

You can dip naan bread in it, put curry in a chapati and put boondi raita on top and you have a winning combination.

You can also enjoy boondi raita alongside other raita recipes such as the delicious and popular cucumber raita.

Recipe notes and tips

• Don’t have yogurt?
  You can use Greek yogurt sauce instead, it’ll mean that the boondi don’t soften and will be a slightly thicker consistency.
• Prefer a smooth spice?
  Use roasted cumin powder instead of cumin seeds.
• Cooking for a vegan?
  Simply use vegan yogurt, every other ingredient is fine, then you will have vegan raita.
• Taste, taste, taste!
  Taste your boondi raita and if you need, add more salt, and additional spices.

More Indian side dish recipes for you to try

If you like our boondi raita recipe, then why not try these delicious Indian side dishes, bhindi raita, cucumber raita, aloo gobi, saag aloo, and aloo tikki.

How to make boondi raita with step-by-step instructions

Making boondi ka raita is easy if you follow our step-by-step instructions.

In a skillet over medium heat, dry roast your cumin seeds for approximately 30-45 seconds, until you can smell the aroma, then set aside.

Now, in a mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt until it’s smooth, then add two-thirds of the roasted cumin seeds, salt and pepper, and two-thirds of the fresh chopped cilantro (chopped coriander leaves) into the whisked yogurt and mix well.

Now, add the boondi to the spiced yogurt and stir to combine.

Garnish with the remaining cilantro, cumin seeds, and red chili powder.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

We hope you enjoy making and eating our boondi raita and would love to hear how you got on with it.

Please leave a comment below and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

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