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* Yogurt Raitas and Pachadis |
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Indians have been eating and drinking yogurt for centuries. On the surface yogurt plays a vital, easily recognized roll as a fire-quencher--soothing the palate when the spicy hot foods of Indian or any cuisine are just a bit too much. But yogurt is also one of those multi-faceted foods, also believed to improve health and longevity. Rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and the B vitamins, yogurt is an almost-perfect food and unlike milk, it is easy to digest, even with people who have lactose intolerance. When yogurt is eaten with a meal, it is believed to promote the overall digestion and assimilation of most nutrients present in the meal. It helps maintain a proper balance of the good and bad bacteria in the system, especially after the use of antibiotics. (Antibiotics destroy the good bacteria along with the bad ones, and yogurt replenishes the good bacteria in the body.) With all the therapeutic benefits--some proved and others still-popular beliefs--it is no surprise that Indians have made yogurt a crucial part of their daily diets. Whether it is served plain and unadorned, or transformed into a raita or a pachadi, yogurt is considered a necessity, and not merely an accompaniment to a meal. Yogurt becomes a raita when it is enriched with something as simple as salt and pepper or with anything you can think of, including cooked meats. A similar flavored yogurt in the southern part of India is called a pachadi. The main difference between a raita and a pachadi is that while the yogurt in the raitas is generally whisked until smooth, in the pachadis it is mostly (not always) incorporated in its thick and lumpy form. If the pachadi yogurt is smooth, usually some of the other ingredients give it some texture, such as pressed rice flakes or soft-cooked vegetables. The spice selections and their treatments also differ from north to south. While the north Indian raitas generally call for straight or dry-roasted spices such as cumin seeds, the south Indian pachadis are customarily dressed with a sizzling tarka (a hot, seasoned oil topping) that is stirred lightly into the flavored yogurt just before it is served. All raitas are served chilled-almost immediately after they are made, but they can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Pachadis, traditionally served at room temperature, may also be served chilled. Organize your recipes and simplify meal planning...Download the Cook'n Recipe Organizer for FREE!
BASIC RAITAS Simple Salt and Pepper Raita Summer Iced Raita Ginger and Scallion Raita Crushed Lemon Pickle Raita VEGETABLE RAITAS Potato Raita with Roasted Cumin and Black Peppercorns Potato Raita with Puréed Greens Potato and Beet Raita Beet and Scallion Raita Tomato Raita with Fresh Mint Leaves Cucumber and Radish Raita Mustard Seed Raita Sprouted Beans and Vegetable Raita Kashmiri Morel Mushroom Raita RAITAS WITH HERBS AND GREENS Fresh Spinach Raita with Ginger-Lime Pickle Frozen Spinach Raita Sautéed Spinach Raita Spicy Raita with Lamb's Quartets Puréed Watercress Raita Crumbled Tofu and Mint Chutney Raita Creamy Tofu Raita with Fresh Greens GRILLED OR ROASTED VEGETABLE RAITAS Roasted Bell Pepper Raita Traditional Grilled Eggplant Raita Garlicky Roasted Chinese Eggplant Raita Pan-Roasted Eggplant Raita with Sesame Seeds Grilled Zucchini and Pearl Onion Raita FRESH AND DRIED FRUIT RAITAS Dried Fruit Raita Mango Raita with Fresh Ginger Mango Chutney Raita Banana Raita Mandarin Orange Raita DUMPLING RAITAS Traditional Raita with Softened Chickpea Batter Drops Raita with Crispy Chickpea Batter Drops Raita with Chickpea Flour Pancakes Simple Mung Bean Croquettes Raita Spicy Mung Bean Croquettes Raita with Sonth Chutney Traditional Urad Dal Croquettes Raita Crispy Urad Dal Croquettes in Yogurt MEAT RAITAS Shredded Chicken Raita Ground Lamb Raita SOUTH INDIAN PACHADIS Basic Cucumber Pachadi Tomato and Cucumber Pachadi with Asafoetida Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Yogurt Yogurt with Sautéed Tomatoes and Coconut Yogurt with Fried Green Tomato Chutney Yogurt with Mashed Potato and Fresh Cilantro Chopped Salad with Yogurt Yogurt with Pumpkin and Tamarind Yogurt with Pressed Rice Flakes Spicy Yogurt with Mango and Coconut Yogurt with Sautéed Ripe Banana Yogurt with Green Papaya and Coconut From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, with recipes, cooking tips and more! |
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