I have a well documented love for raita, that savory yogurt accompaniment to a meal. Ideally I'd have it straight up with roti (flatbread) or rice, but I hear it is supposed to be a condiment. This raita is one my mother learnt from my aunt and can I say it was just love at first bite. I love serving it with a simple pea pilaf or my chickpea pilaf. Now that I think about it, it would go well with Tehri too. Really folks - what does raita not go well with? This particular vegetable raita goes well with anything. Including just a spoon.
So what makes this vegetable raita magic? Heat, my friends, heat. It is absolutely important that you stir fry the veggies on high heat to get a nice char. I advise you to keep your windows open and exhaust vent on high. Also season season season. As the raita sits it does get yummier, but the veggies also tend to suck up a little salt, so please adjust before serving!
Vegetable Raita/ Raita w Veggies
2 green peppers (or 1 red and 1 green)
2 tomatoes
1 large onion
4 green chillies slit in half
1 container yogurt
½ tsp garlic paste (a little more if you will serve it soon after making it)
salt
½ tsp red chilli powder
Slice your peppers and onions into similar sized strips. Scoop out the flesh of the tomatoes and slice them in a similar fashion.
Heat oil in a wok or a large saucepan till it is very hot. Add your onions and stir fry on high heat till the edges are nice and charred and the onions have lost their rawness. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a large bowl. Now stir fry the peppers on high heat till they are slightly softened and charred and add to the bowl with the onions. Quickly stir fry the green chillies - beware of some pretty potent fumes. In the bowl they go too. Now finally stir fry the tomatoes and have them join their compadres. Sprinkle salt over the veggies and wait till they come to room temperature.
Combine yogurt with the remaining ingredients and pour over the veggies. Stir. Let the vegetable raita sit for at least half an hour and then adjust seasoning to taste.
- 2 green peppers or 1 red and 1 green
- 2 to matoes
- 1 large onion
- 4-5 green chillies slit in half
- 1 750 g container yogurt
- ½ tsp garlic paste a little more if you will serve it soon after making it
- salt
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
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Slice all the veggies into similar sized strips. Scoop out the flesh of the tomato before slicing it into strips.
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Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan/frying pan on high heat
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Stir fry the veggies on high heat one by one until they are partially cooked and have charred edges. The best order is: onions, peppers, chillies, tomatoes. Take care with the green chillies, they only need 30 seconds.
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As the veggies get done, keep adding them to a large bowl.
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Season with salt when they are all done and set aside to cool to room temperature.
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Add the garlic paste, salt, and red chilli powder to the yogurt, mix well until smooth.
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Pour over the cooled veggies and stir.
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Adjust seasoning before serving.
