This easy traditional Indian condiment, Boondi Raita, is so crispy and creamy. Made with whisked yogurt and flavored with spices. It is gluten-free and goes well with an Indian meal.
In Indian cuisine, we love our condiments. Varieties of chutneys, pickles, and yogurt raita are served with a meal.
Boondi Raita, also known as Dahi Boondi, is a different kind of raita where crispy Boondi are added to the whisked yogurt along with spices. It’s so easy, made in minutes with simple ingredients.
This bright yellow crispy boondi is a popular Indian snack, made from fried gram flour.
In North India, some people prefer to soak boondi in warm water for 5 minutes. Then lightly squeeze before adding to the yogurt. This helps to remove extra oil from the boondi.
If you love raitas, also check out this Cucumber Raita, Mint Raita, and Bottle Gourd Raita.
Table of Contents
What is Raita?
Raita is the popular easy side dish from the Indian sub-continent served as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner. It is made with whisked, creamy yogurt, and often vegetables or fruits and/or spices are added to it. Raita is often compared with Tzatziki, the Greek yogurt sauce.
Raita helps in cooling the palate after a sumptuous meal. It also aids in the digestive process.
I like to make yogurt for raita in the instant pot. Here is my homemade pot-in-pot yogurt recipe.
Benefits of Boondi Raita
- It is high in protein.
- It is calcium-rich food that helps to strengthen the bones.
Boondi raita is prepared using yogurt, which is a good source of protein. It makes a perfect aid for weight loss and digestion. However, adding boondi to raita adds calories since it is deep-fried.
To remove the excess oil from boondi, some people prefer to soak boondi in warm water for 5 minutes. Then lightly squeeze before adding to the yogurt.
Types of Boondi
- Salted Boondi – It is used in raitas, as a garnish for chaats, and can also be added to pani puri water or chaas.
- Plain Boondi – It is mainly used in raitas.
- Masala Boondi – This spicy boondi is used in raita; simply add yogurt to it, and you can skip the spices or adjust them as needed.
- Sweet Boondi – It is served as a dessert.
Ingredients
Plain Boondi – Boondi are crispy fried balls made from gram flour. It is readily available in Indian stores, or you can get it from Amazon. I used the Haldirams brand plain boondi. Make sure that the boondi is in a fresh packet. It can start smelling bad if stored for too long.
Whisked Yogurt – This is the main ingredient of the raita. I make yogurt in Instant Pot. It is also readily available in grocery stores. Use plain yogurt for this recipe; whole milk or low-fat yogurt would work.
Spices – You’ll need salt, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder (optional)
Cilantro leaves – I added chopped cilantro leaves.
To make this recipe vegan, you can use any non-dairy yogurt based on your preference.
How to make?
In a bowl, add chilled whisked yogurt.
Add all the spices, red chili powder, salt, and roasted cumin powder to the whisked yogurt and mix until well combined.
Add boondi to the yogurt, mix it well, and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Adjust the consistency of the raita to your preference by adding a little cold milk or water.
Boondi Raita is ready. Serve it immediately.
What to serve raita with?
You can serve this easy boondi raita with any Indian meal. Here are some ideas:
Common Questions
It’s a small pearl, bright yellow, made from gram flour, that is deep-fried in oil.
Yes, you can use any non-dairy yogurt of your choice to make vegan raita.
Boondi raita is best to serve fresh, it is not recommended to store as boondi it will start getting soggy.
Yes, it is gluten-free.
Yes, you can whisk the yogurt, mix in the spices, and keep it in the refrigerator. While serving, add boondi; this way, it will stay crunchy. If you plan to soak the boondi, you can add it to the yogurt initially.
Hope you enjoy this delicious, easy bondi raita. Looking forward to seeing your creations. Do share with #pipingpotcurry!
Easy Boondi Raita
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Plain Whisked Yogurt
- 1/3 Cup Plain Boondi
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl add chilled whisked yogurt.
- Add all the spices red chili powder, salt, roasted cumin powder to the whisked yogurt and mix it well.
- Add boondi to the yogurt, mix it and garnish it with cilantro leaves.
- Boondi Raita is ready. Serve it immediately.
