Make Easy and Delicious Mint Raita with Carrots – a lovely addition to any Indian meal. Simple prep, with just a few common pantry items, means that you can whip up this dish on short order. Most people I know, and I don’t mean just “Indian” folks, seem to love Raita (Rye-Thaa, with the “Th” as in think), no matter what kind.
Raita, for the uninitiated, is a savory yogurt-based vegetable dish, a bit like a creamy dip, served chilled or at room temperature. Salty, tangy and cooling, Raita beautifully balances the spicy dishes that are the mainstay of Indian meals.
So, serve up this Raita, with its perfectly seasoned yogurt, paired with soft-cooked minced carrots, and look out for the smiles that say “Yumm!”. As for me, I can happily devour a whole bowl of this Raita all by itself… who needs anything else?!
Yogurt – The Essential Raita Ingredient
The essential ingredient in a Raita is Yogurt (called ‘Dahi/Doi’ in several Indian languages; ‘Perugu’ in Telugu; ‘Mosaru’ in Kannada’; Tayir/Tair’ in Tamil/Malayalam, etc.). Inimitable in its slightly tart taste and creamy texture, it is popular across the length and breadth of India, built into its very culture.
You will likely find fresh home-made yogurt in every “Indian” kitchen, regardless of which corner of the world that kitchen is in. I always have home-made yogurt in my refrigerator – and there’s nothing at all unique about it. Many folks eat yogurt at every meal, either by itself, or often as a Raita. But that’s not all: yogurt is used to prepare a multitude of other dishes as well: hot, cold, savory and sweet.
Yogurt – Probiotic Benefits
The probiotic benefits of yogurt are quite well-known, of course, and its daily consumption ensures a healthy gut. I love yogurt and am always experimenting with new ways to use it. Watching my friends delightedly polish off my creations is validation like no other!
I do want to point out that once cooked, yogurt is no longer “probiotic”. I am deeply concerned by the misconception and/or confusion I have noticed among many folks about this issue. Raita, made with yogurt containing an active culture with the “good bugs” – is indeed probiotic. By contrast, various yogurt-based curries and sauces are not probiotic, because cooking kills all the bacteria in the yogurt. The cooked yogurt in the dish does, of course, contribute to its overall nutritional profile, supplying protein, calcium, etc.
Mint and Yogurt : a Happy Couple
Spearmint, a key ingredient in many Raitas, is easily recognizable by its distinctive flavor and aroma. Called Pudina (‘Pu’ – as in “put”; ‘dee’ as in “thee”; ‘Pu-dee-naa’) in several Indian languages, spearmint is also prized for its numerous health-promoting properties.
Considered a cooling herb because of its high Carvone content, it has been used in many cultures since ancient times. It is added to beverages, snacks, condiments, entrees, and yes, even some desserts. The combination of mint and yogurt is particularly delicious in savory cool dishes, like Raita and Dahi Vada (Vud-aa), as well as refreshing beverages like chilled Salty Mint Lassi (Lus-see), etc.
Cooked Carrots – Better than Raw!
Although I’ve always loved raw carrots, I was not at all a fan of cooked carrots when I was younger – I thought they smelled a bit weird! Well, let’s just say I no longer hate them, and am perfectly happy to have cooked carrots in any number of “hot” dishes: soups, curries, stir-fries, Pulao, Biryani, etc. My favorite, though is the “cool” and refreshing carrot Raita.
What gives carrots their brilliant color? Carrots have lots of the yellow-orange colored substance called Beta-carotene. This substance is not just lovely to look at – it helps us stay healthy too! Our bodies convert Beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is critical for supporting good vision, immunity, and general well-being.
Great! Lets load up on carrots then! But wait, there’s a bit of catch:…. all these amazing things can happen only if our bodies actually absorb this substance. Now, raw carrots don’t easily let go of their precious stash, which means that much of it simply passes out of our systems, wasted, as it were. So then, what strategy could we employ to counteract this?
It turns out that it is quite easy to dramatically increase the bio-availability of this substance. Just cook the carrots, mince them, then add a little bit of fat. How does this work? The cooking and mincing releases the Beta carotene physically trapped in the carrot cells. The added fat then quickly dissolves this fat-soluble substance, and whisks it away from the carrots…. to be happily absorbed by the human body.
In this Raita, the yogurt supplies the fat: so I recommend that you use whole milk yogurt. However, if you’re cutting back on dairy fat, and prefer using lower-fat varieties, be sure to drizzle in some olive oil, or avocado oil…. or something else you prefer.
Special Diets
This Raita recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free, but it is not vegan, since it is made with dairy yogurt. However, it is easy to make it vegan by replacing the dairy yogurt with a non-dairy yogurt of your choice. Soy yogurt and cashew yogurt work well, if you can have soy or nuts, respectively. My vegan friends tell me that they actually make their own soy yogurt, by culturing soy milk in much the same way as dairy milk.
So, let’s make something delectable with these nutritionally loaded ingredients – yogurt, mint and cooked carrots. Go ahead…cook and mince the carrots first. Then mix the carrots with yogurt, mint and seasonings, and your easy and delicious Raita is ready to serve!
Serve it up!
Hmm… what to eat it with? Let’s see, Paratha, Naan, Roti, Pulao, Biryani, or….maybe just slather it on top of some fresh bread? I once took this Raita and homemade bread to a meeting with my students. They immediately started piling it up on top of the bread and declared that it was amazing! So, I discovered yet another way to enjoy one of my favorite Raitas!
Do make it and share with friends. Please also leave a review and a rating; it will be much appreciated!
Enjoy!
Make Easy and Delicious Mint Raita with Carrots
Equipment
- Pressure cooker preferred for cooking carrots ; if not available, this can be done in the microwave oven or on the stove-top (see Recipe Notes for details)
- Food chopper/processor or small food grinder to mince the cooked carrots.If not available, this can be done manually with a knife and cutting board, but the texture will likely be a little different.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Carrots baby carrots preferred; if not available, bigger carrots ok
- 3/4 cup Plain Yogurt whole milk yogurt preferred; low-fat, non-fat, dairy-free varieties OK too.(see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tbsp Onion (optional) – finely minced any variety onion OK; omit if you prefer to make the Raita without onions
- 1/4 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1/4 tsp Crushed red chilli pepper adjust as per spiciness preferred; also called chilli flakes; if not available, use fresh green chilli pepper, minced; do not use finely ground chilli powder – it will change the appearance of the Raita;
- 1/8 tsp Freshly crushed black pepper freshly crushed is more flavorful
- 1/2 tsp Roasted cumin seeds – ground
- 2 tsp Dried mint leaves if fresh is available: use 2 tbsp finely chopped leaves
- 1 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)- finely chopped (optional)
Optional
- 1 tsp olive oil (or other edible oil) need only if using low-fat or non-fat yogurt
Instructions
- Place the carrots in a pressure cooker insert container; place on the rack and pressure cook for 4-5 min at full pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally. (about 8-10 min)(For microwave and stove-top cooking directions, please see Recipe Notes.)
- While the carrots are cooking, mince the onions; roast and grind the cumin seeds; wash and chop fresh mint (if using) and fresh coriander leaves (if using)
- Remove cooked carrots from the cooker, set aside to cool for 3-4 min, There will likely be a little bit of liquid in the cooking vessel. If it is no more than 1-2 tbsp, that's OK – just add it to the carrots while mincing them. However, If there is more liquid, use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots to the food processor and collect the liquid in a separate container see Recipe Notes for how to use it.
- Mince the carrots with an electric or manual food chopper or food-processor. The texture should be a little coarse – see picture. Ideally, do not add water while mincing.
- Place all the ingredients except mint and cilantro in a mixing bowl. If using non-fat yogurt, add about 1 tsp preferred oil; extra-virgin olive oil, almond oil, avocado oil, etc, are OK. I do not recommend using flax-seed oil in this Raita – its strong flavor will overwhelm the other delicate flavors.
- Mix gently.
- Crush the dried mint to a coarse powder between your thumb and forefinger – a little at a time – add this and the chopped coriander leaves to the Raita. If using fresh mint, do not chop it until ready to serve the Raita: Fresh mint leaves quickly darken after being chopped.
- Serve the Raita with any Indian meal; it is especially good with Paratha, Naan, Roti, Pulao, Biryani; it is also delicious when spread on a slice of fresh bread.
- Enjoy!Do leave a review and a rating.
Notes
Cooking carrots without pressure cooker
Stove-top:- Place 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and heat to boiling.
- Add carrots , stir and bring the water back to boiling.
- Decrease heat to low, cover and simmer till carrots are cooked and tender.
- check periodically to ensure that the water has not fully dried up-
- splash 1-2 tbsp water, if needed, but avoid adding too much water, or the nutrients will leach into he cooking water and the carrots will taste bland.
- It will take about 10-12 min (simmering time) before the carrots are fully cooked and tender.
- check periodically to ensure that the water has not fully dried up-
- Set aside to cool for 5-6 min.
- Remove carrots with a slotted spoon.
- Do NOT discard the cooking water: use in various ways as described below
- Place the carrots, along with 1/4 cup water, in a glass/ceramic microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a vented lid; microwave: 30 sec on hi, then 6-8 min on 30% power,.
- do not cook on high power: the carrots can shrivel up and become tough
- the carrots should be fully cooked and tender. Cook a little longer if needed.
- Set aside to cool for 5-6 min.
- Remove carrots with a slotted spoon.
- Do NOT discard the cooking water: use in various ways as described below
What to do with saved cooking liquid (from cooking carrots)
- Do NOT discard the cooking water
- it has valuable nutrients from the carrots, so save it and
- add it to soups, stews, pancake batter, bread dough, etc.
- it has valuable nutrients from the carrots, so save it and
Storing leftovers
I do not recommend freezing leftover Raita. The texture after thawing previously frozen Raita is not very appealing at all.- Store leftover Raita in a glass/ceramic container in the refrigerator::
- please consume within 1-2 days.
- if left longer, the carrots begin to spoil and become slimy- if you notice sliminess, please discard it.
Do-ahead prep:
If you wish, you can store cooked and minced carrots in the freezer for up t a month, possibly longer. I recommend storing small, pre-measured portions (1/2-1 cup) in glass containers with well-fitting lids. Small portions are easier to thaw when needed.- To make the Raita:
- Remove the needed portion(s) from the freezer, place the container an set on the counter, with lid partially open, for about 20-30 min.
- Splash with a little water if the carrots look ‘dry’
- Heat in the microwave briefly – covered, hi, 1-2 min till heated through- check by stirring with a spoon / fork.
- Keep covered while it cools to room temp.
- Proceed with the recipe for making the Raita.
Nice!
Thanks!