Cilantro Chutney Raita-Indian Yogurt Sauce
Cilantro Chutney Raita makes my Seekh Kabab and Biryani complete. I use this yogurt sauce with so many Indian side dishes. You ought to try this refreshing Indian condiment. It will surely become one of your favorites.
What is Chutney Raita?
Chutneys have been part of my family for as long as I can remember. It’s a great combination of either a fruit, or a Vegetable, or an Herb with Indian spices. Uff! I have a fond memories of my father bringing Tandoori Chicken with Cilantro Chutney from a nearby town. I am drooling while writing this, yes, for-real! Chutneys are so versatile and every household has their own recipe for them all around India.
What’s In My Raita Recipe
Cilantro Chutney and Whole Milk Yogurt is all you need to make this creamy and refreshing concoction. Once you have it, there is no turning back, I promise!
Whole Milk Yogurt– Indian whole milk yogurt has a perfect creamy consistency with the right amount of water to make this Cilantro Chutney Raita. Easily found at any local Indian grocery store. Any other Whole milk plain yogurt should be fine for this recipe except Greek Yogurt.
Cilantro(Hara Dhaniya)– Cilantro aka Coriander is such a mild flavored herb. Easily found at any major grocery store throughout the States. Cilantro along with its stems truly enhances the flavor of this chutney recipe.
Mint– Mint leaves give such a refreshing taste to this Chutney. I suggest not adding Mint stems at all. Mint stems are known to create a bitter flavor and you don’t want that in your Chutney.
Garlic– I love the spicy flavor of garlic for this recipe. I recommend using fresh garlic cloves rather than bottle chopped garlic.
Cumin Seeds– Toasted and coarsely ground cumin seeds enhance the flavor of this chutney beautifully. You may use cumin powder if you can’t find cumin seeds. However, I highly recommend toasted cumin seeds.
Green Chili– I like to use green chili for this recipe to spice up the flavors. If you are not a fan of green chilies, go for mild peppers like Jalapenos, Bell peppers or Serrano peppers.
Lemon Juice– Lemon juice truly cuts down any bitter flavor coming from the mint and garlic.
Pink Salt– I have developed a love for Pink salt. The pungent flavor of Pink Salt substitutes for that Chaat masala flavor. You may use black salt, Kosher salt or a regular table salt if you can’t find Pink salt.
How to Make Chutney Raita
- Blend Cilantro Chutney using a handful of ingredients in a good blender.
- Whip 1 cup Whole Milk Yogurt with the help of fork or a whisk. Add about ¼ cup Chutney to whipped yogurt and mix well.
- Serve it immediately with Kebabs, Raita for Biryani, as a marinade, as a salad dressing, as a Dip or a Sauce for your favorite side dish, be creative you chef! you!
Storing and Freezing Chutney Raita
Chutney alone stays great in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and up to a month in the freezer. Chutney Raita stays good for a day or two in the refrigerator.
- To Refrigerate- Refrigerate Cilantro Chutney in an air tight container or a jar. Use as needed in freshly whipped yogurt to make Chutney Raita.
- To Freeze- Freeze chutney in an ice tray or Ziploc bag. Defrost the chutney in the fridge overnight before adding it into yogurt.
Indian Recipes to Serve Chutney Raita with
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:
Cilantro Chutney Raita
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
- 1 bunch of Cilantro with stems
- 2 Tablespoons Mint leaves
- 1-2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Green Chili or deseeded Serrano or Jalapeno
- ½ teaspoon toasted cumin seeds or powder
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Water or Yogurt
- Pink Salt to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and clean the Cilantro and Mint. Use Cilantro stems and remove any stems from Mint leaves.
- In a good blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth consistency. It makes about ¼ cup Cilantro Chutney.
- Whisk Whole Milk Yogurt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add ¼ cup Chutney to whipped Yogurt. Mix well until well combined.
- Serve it immediately with Kebabs, Biryani, Pakoras, Paratha. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is sourced from a third-party application and should be considered as approximate figures for reference purposes only.
I want to make this but am wondering why not Greek Yogurt? It’s the only kind I buy.
Hi Theresa, thank you for stopping by my blog! I appreciate you wanting to try my recipe. Personally, I don’t like using Greek yogurt for Raita. Indian or other plain yogurt tastes creamier and milder than Greek yogurt. This recipe highlights the chutney, so using Greek yogurt, with its thicker, denser texture and stronger flavor, may overpower the chutney's flavors. In contrast, plain yogurt allows the cilantro, garlic, mint, and other ingredients to shine through. This is the more authentic approach, in my opinion. However, you are more than welcome to use Greek yogurt. You might want to thin it down with some water to achieve a smoother consistency.
So delicious