condiments
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creamy

Raita is a creamy yogurt-based condiment from Priya Krishna's new book Indian-ish that's guaranteed to cool you off when things get too hot. 

"Raita is the cooling foil to just about every Indian dish," Priya says. "It's the fire hose that extinguishes your tongue when you accidentally bite into that whole chile—the fact that Indians choose to put whole chiles into dishes at all just seems like a cruel, cruel joke to me. Raita is also endlessly versatile. Simultaneously sweet, salty, and tangy, it can be eaten by itself, kind of a savory side, or used as a source for drizzling over grilled chicken or fish."

Tip: Raita keeps in the fridge for up to three days, but is best eaten fresh!

For more Indian-ish recipes, check out:
Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Mint
Tamarind, Fig, and Cumin Chutney
Cilantro Chutney
Beet and Avocado Kachumber Salad

Adapted from Indian-ish by Priya Krishna. Copyright © 2019 by Priya Krishna. Used with permission by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups full-fat plain yogurt
  • ​​​​​​​¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ​​​​​​​½ teaspoon red chile powder

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.