Mango Raita Recipe

Mango Raita

With the summer heat at its peak, this mango raita is just the refreshing, tasty and minty cool dish you need!

Every summer, there’s a point at which I get completely fed up with the usual vegetables and dals. This happens when the heat gets too unbearable for me to enjoy the regular hearty food I love cooking. A few days ago, I reached this tipping point! Actually, we all did. Keeping in mind everyone’s waning appetite, I went ahead something light and vibrant – Mango Raita!

Dahi ( homemade yogurt) is and always will be, my ultimate summer companion. Whether I’m eating curd rice or popsicles or drinking smoothies/lassi – I can always count on dahi to bring relief from the incessant heat! With an abundance of mangoes (my favourite summer fruit) at home and the need for a break from hot food, mango raita came to my rescue. It’s perfectly cooling and flavoured beautifully with roasted cumin powder, mustard seeds, red chilli powder and topped with fresh mint!

Making this mango raita is the simplest! Creamy thick dahi / yogurt, seasoned with salt and roasted cumin powder, then tempered with mustard seeds and red chilli powder. Stir in juicy cubes of mango. I used Kesar and Safeda varieties. You can use any you prefer. There is a little bits of cucumber and boondi for the crunch, some pomegranate for the colour and loads of my garden fresh mint for flavour.
While it can absolutely be enjoyed on own, I served it with a lip-smacking Mint Pulao. And it was all polished off in no time! I foresee this Mango Raita on a frequent rotation on our table this summer.

Mango raita is another example of how wonderfully versatile mangoes are. I’ve been using them in a plethora of recipes ( sweet and savory) this summer and have not been disappointed even once! They bring a fresh burst of flavor to the dish, that is tangy and sweet. They indeed are the King of Fruits!

Ingredients

• 500 ml Dahi or Yogurt
• 1.5 large Mango, peeled and cut into bitesized cubes
• 1 small Cucumber, diced
• 1 tsp Roasted cumin / Bhuna jeera, crushed
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder You can add more if you prefer
• 15-20 Fresh mint leaves
• Salt to taste
• Pomegranate arils , boondi for topping Optional

Instructions

• Whisk the yogurt, crushed roasted cumin, and salt until smooth and lump-free.
• Gently whisk in the mango, cucumber and mint leaves.
• Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, take off the heat and add the red chili powder.
• Carefully pour over the yogurt. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
• Serve chilled, topped with pomegranates, boondi, and some extra mint leaves. Enjoy!