Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita is a refreshing yogurt based side dish often served with north indian meals. This cooling raita is made with whisked plain yogurt, boondi, hot & tangy indian spices and herbs. You need barely 5-6 minutes to make it. Serve it with pulao, parathas or with indian main dishes.

About Boondi Raita

Raita is a popular Indian side dish made by combining yogurt, spices, fresh herbs and grated or chopped vegetables such as onions, cucumber (cucumber raita), tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, or eggplant, as well as fruits

The term "boondi" is derived from the word "boond," which, in Hindi means water droplets. Boondi are small, crispy fried balls made from gram flour. They have a spherical or teardrop shape. To make raita, these crunchy boondi balls are added to spiced yogurt. These tiny crunchy balls act like sponges and absorb the yogurt and flavors, becoming soft while still adding a substantial amount of texture to the raita.

Boondi raita is commonly paired with spicy indian dishes to balance the spiciness of main dishes like like biryani, pulao, or curries. Creamy yogurt and tangy spices together with crispy boondi create a delightful contrast of flavors and textures that makes boondi raita a perfect side dish with indian meals. 

Not just for raita, boondi is used for making kadhi, served with chaat as well as added to certain indian beverages like jaljeera to add crunch.

Not Gluten Free - This raita is not gluten free since store bought boondi mostly has flour or hing mixed in.

Ingredients for Boondi Raita

• Yogurt - I prefer using whole milk greek yogurt (Greek Gods plain traditional yogurt is my favorite). Cream top dahi (indian style curd) available in south asian grocery stores is another great choice. 
• Boondi - Is easily available in all south asian stores. My favorite brand is Haldiram's or Deep. I use plain salted boondi. 

Types of Boondi

There are broadly 3 kinds of boondi that are available in stores. You can make boondi at home using gram flour, however, I stick to purchasing it.

1. Plain Salted Boondi - I love to use this one for everything. For raita, chaat, curries or as a topping. Its good snack too with chai.
2. Unsalted Boondi - This one is a little difficult to find, however if you do, you can make it for making sweet boondi or boondi ladoo.
3. Masala Boondi - Needless to say, this one is masaledaar or spiced. Masala boondi has a kick and saltiness to it and you could definitely use it if you prefer instead of plain salted.

How To Make Boondi Raita

1. Place yogurt in a large bowl. Whisk to smooth. 
2. Add a few ice cubes. Add all the powdered spices, salt, sugar and chopped fresh herbs. Start mixing, the ice cubes will melt in due time and the raita will thin out. Mix the spices and herbs well. Taste the yogurt mix and adjust spices to liking. 

Tip #1 - While mixing the yogurt, add less salt since the boondi already has salt. You can always adjust later. 

Tip #2 - If you like your raita to have a crunchy texture, refrigerate the yogurt mixture until you are ready to serve. We will add boondi just 5 minutes prior to serving. 

3. Add the boondi and mix well with the yogurt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and the ice cubes will further melt and thin out the raita. Boondi will get soft too. I don't add water to boondi raita. 
4. Add in extra cilantro and sprinkle a little red chilli powder on top. Boondi raita is ready. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Recipe Tips

• Yogurt - Make sure that the yogurt is not watery. Also, the yogurt should not be too tart else the raita will have an overpowering sour taste. 
• Boondi- Always taste the boondi before adding to raita. Many times, the boondi has a bad oil taste or is smelly from sitting on shelf for too long, It will spoil the taste of raita. 
• Raita Consistency - Personally, I prefer a thicker consistency for my raita, but if you prefer a thinner version, you can add more ice cubes to achieve the desired consistency. Make sure to wait for ice cubes to melt and then add more if needed.
• Spices & flavorings -Feel free to customize your raita by adding or omitting any spices or herbs according to your preference. For example, instead of dried mint, I occasionally sprinkle a bit of crushed kauri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). The flavor of kasoori methi is delightful. You could add some black pepper powder too.
• Boondi raita is best prepared with plain salted boondi. You could add spices to your liking and make it mild or medium spicy using red chilli powder or green chillies. 

Variations

1. Soak the boondi - If you wish to soak boondi, soak ½ cup boondi in 1.5 cup warm water and allow to soak for 10 minutes or so. Squeeze lightly, let cool completely and add to yogurt. 
2. Vegan Boondi Raita - For a vegan version, you can use cashew or almond yogurt. However, it's best to avoid using coconut yogurt as it imparts a coconut taste, which may not complement traditional North Indian dishes.
3. Use plain kefir - If you enjoy the taste of kefir, you have the option to use it as a substitute for yogurt in your raita
4. For added color, taste, and crunch, add finely chopped red onions and tomatoes to your raita.
5. Garlicky Twist: To infuse your raita with a delightful garlic flavor, grate a clove of garlic using a microplane and mix it into the yogurt. It adds a wonderful flavor! 

Storage

Keep boondi raita refrigerated once you have made it until ready to serve. I don't recommend storing boondi raita beyond 7-8 hours. Make a limited quantity and consume it the same day.

Serving

Boondi Raita can be served be almost anything! Here are a few ideas :-

1. With all sorts of stuffed parathas (indian flatbreads).
2. Add as a cooling side to rice pulao or biryani.
3. Serve it with rich curries like bhuna chicken curry or goat curry.