Each time you go to a Pakistani eatery here, there is something standard that will come with everything that you order. The best part about it is that you can dip all your food in it, pour it over your curry to mellow down the heat, or have it just like that. It is my favorite thing to have whenever I go to any eatery. Just try dunking your kebabs in them – they taste amazing.
During my initial days of blogging, I had received a request from a fellow blogger asking if I knew how to make the raita we get from Karachi Darbar. This chain of restaurants is one of the most well known Pakistani food chains here. We used to absolutely enjoy the food, but off late, I have not been liking their food, so it’s been a long time since we hopped in. 🙁 Their karahi, their tikkas, even their fried rice was out of the world. And not to talk about the raita that comes with almost everything. That reminds me about a restaurant called Pak Ghazi, which became off business recently, God knows why. Their food was also amazing.
OK, coming back to our recipe, which is the raita. The star ingredient is the cumin and then the mint for me. But you can flip it depending upon your choice. I have chosen to muddle the mint so that there are some bites and some are pasty. You can grind the mint into a paste completely and that will give you a greener raita. Try this with your biriyani, your tikkas or your parathas and I am sure you will relish it to the most. Off to this really simple recipe….
Pakistani Mint Cumin Raita
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt whipped
- 3/4 tsp cumin powder
- 5-6 mint leaves finely chopped
- 1 green chilli minced finely
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Slight muddle the mint leaves and chili till it becomes a little pasty.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk till smooth.
- Leave in the fridge for as long as possible for the flavors to mingle.
- Serve cold with biriyanis or parathas.
Looks like a yoghurt sauce…so raita means sauce?
Yes, raita means yogurt dip or sauce… Thanks a lot Angie…
healthy and refreshing raita.. perfect for the weather
Thanks a lot Veena…
Raita or yoghurt dip for the other world can be made in zillion ways right? I love how Yogurt is this magic tonic that makes anything good when in contact. Here we have only pak restaurants that we can get close to Indian food. And unfortunately, this raita that they give along with whatever we order goes to the trash unopened. Not because we don’t like it, but it is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo watery that never holds on anything we dip in! lol! what is the point then right? I have made similar raitas but never knew it is Paki.
Haha… that “so” says it all! Here at least they give a yogurt like concoction… this combination is more known there and hence termed Paki… Thanks a lot Fami…
The cumin most definitely perks up this simple mint raita!
Thank you so much Beulah…
Love anything minty. Will try this version for my next round of Pulao
Thank you so much Sowmya…