Boondi Raita Recipe

Boondi Raita is a creamy concoction of yogurt, fried gram flour balls and spices if I have to put it simply. It was immediate love when I ate this the first time at a friend’s house. I vividly remember that meal of Rajma chawal, Boondi Raita, and strawberry lassi.

If I have to describe this in Hindi, I will call it ” Chatpata”. Now, that means tangy, spicy and yummy all at once. It s like a burst of flavors in your mouth. And I bet this was one of those recipes that came about when someone had to whip up Raita but they did not have onions, cukes or tomatoes on hand.

Boondi Raita, cucumber raita, and onion tomato raita are three of the most liked Raitas across Indian houses. While cucumber raita and onion tomato raita are most often paired with Pulao and Biryani, this Boondi raita is a fabulous accompaniment for Rajma Chawal or Chole Chawal.

The recipe for Boondi ka raita varies from house to house. Some add roasted cumin powder and some, chaat masala. My version is something I learned from my friend K when I used to live in Baroda.

What is Boondi?

Boondi is a popular snack in India. This is a fried snack and uses gram flour or chickpea flour as the primary ingredient. You can also find different flavors of Boondi in Indian stores. Mint, Spicy and Plain salted are the most common flavors.

Ingredients

Boondi- 

For this Boondi Raita, I prefer and recommend the plain salted Boondi. This is because we will be adding our own spices and flavors. Try to choose Boondi that is not too oily. 

Yogurt

I love adding freshly set thick yogurt to any Raita. You can also use greek yogurt in this recipe.

Spice powders

Now, here is where we can bring about variations. The most common spice blends used in this recipe are red chili powder and roasted cumin powder. You can also add Chaat masala or regular cumin powder. 

Herbs

Mint leaves and finely chopped coriander leaves are the best bets. They give a nice earthy flavor to our Raita. You can choose to add both or just add any one of them.

Recipe Notes

1. There are two things that can make or break this Boondi Raita. One of them is the way we process the Boondi. Please do not let the Boondi sit in the water for long time. It should be in the water for just 1 min. Then quickly strain it. For this reason, I recommend keeping the other ingredients prepped before we prep the Boondi.
2. Do not add Boondi to very hot water. You need just warm water. When we add the Boondi to hot water, the Boondi also tends to become hot. Hot Boondi, when added to chilled yogurt is a terrible idea. The yogurt will become watery and even curdle at times.
3. Keep this Raita chilled. That works best. In fact, keep any Raita chilled till ready to serve. This helps the yogurt stay fresh. When we leave Raita out at room temperature, the yogurt tends to become sour. So I recommend serving Boondi raita chilled.
4. Boondi Raita does not taste good after a day. The Boondi become too mushy. So I recommend eating them as soon as it is made. And make just the right amount to avoid leftovers and wastage.

Method

Prepping yogurt mixture

In a mixing bowl, add the yogurt, spices and salt. Whisk well using a balloon whisk. Refrigerate.

Prepping the Boondi

We are adding the Boondi to the warm water to remove the excess oil. When there is oil in the Boondi, it does not soak up the yogurt well. And there tends to be a slight bitter aftertaste too. So this step is very important.

Add 3 to 4 cups warm water to a bowl. To this, add the Boondi and mix well. Let it sit for a min. Immediately, drain the Boondi using a colander. Now, add the drained Boondi to the yogurt. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Stir well to combine.

Our Boondi Raita is now ready.

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for regular cooking updates and short videos. Find us on Pinterest for delicious content. Join our facebook group for millet recipes. Tried mango coconut vegan overnight oats? We value your thoughts and comments! Leave a comment and tell us how it worked for you. Email us your questions to anusapraj@gmail.com if you need any guidance in making this.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Boondi Raita

Boondi Raita is a light yogurt dip made with Boondi, an Indian chickpea flour snack.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Chilling Time1 hour hr

Course: Accompaniment

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Servings: 3

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 1 c Plain salted boondi
• 2 c hot water
• 1.5 c whisked fresh yogurt

Spices

• 1 tsp Red paprika ( Red chili powder)
• 1 tsp Cumin powder You can also use roasted cumin powder instead of this.
• 1 tsp Salt or to taste

Garnish

• 4 fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbsp very finely chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

• Whisk together the yogurt, salt and spices in a mixing bowl.
• Add the salted boondi to the warm water and let it stand for 1 min.
• After a min, drain the Boondi in a colander.
• Add this Boondi and finely chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves to the yogurt and mix well.
• Chill for 1 hour.
• Garnish with mint leaves before serving.

Notes

1. There are two things that can make or break this Boondi Raita. One of them is the way we process the Boondi. Please do not let the Boondi sit in the water for long time. It should be in the water for just 1 min. Then quickly strain it. For this reason, I recommend keeping the other ingredients prepped before we prep the Boondi.
2. Do not add Boondi to very hot water. You need just warm water. When we add the Boondi to hot water, the Boondi also tends to become hot. Hot Boondi, when added to chilled yogurt is a terrible idea. The yogurt will become watery and even curdle at times.
3. Keep this Raita chilled. That works best. In fact, keep any Raita chilled till ready to serve. This helps the yogurt stay fresh. When we leave Raita out at room temperature, the yogurt tends to become sour.
4. Boondi Raita does not taste good after a day. The Boondi become too mushy. So I recommend eating them as soon as it is made. And make just the right amount to avoid leftovers and wastage.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

More Raita Recipes