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Indian · Punjabi

Pudina raita (mint raita)

Vegetarian

पुदीना रायता · pudīnā rāytā

Whisked yoghurt flavoured with crushed fresh mint, green chilli, roasted cumin and black salt, thinned to a pourable side dish. Lighter and milder than the thick mint-yoghurt chutney served with kebabs.

Pudina raita (mint raita) is an Indian side dish, ready in about 25 minutes and made with yogurt and mint. It serves 6 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking
Mint raita: pale green yogurt raita with mint leaves in a small handled pot
Photo: Divya Kudua / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-2.0
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
6
Level
Beginner
Calories
45

Ingredients

6 servings (about 80 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Wash the mint (opens in a new tab), pick off the leaves and pat dry. Keep a few small leaves for garnish.

    • 3 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Crush the mint (opens in a new tab), green chilli (opens in a new tab), ginger, sugar (opens in a new tab) and salt to a coarse paste in a mortar (or blend with 2 tbsp of the water in a small jar).

    Garlic being minced with a knife
    How it looks · Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Whisk (opens in a new tab) the yoghurt (opens in a new tab) with the remaining cold water until smooth. Stir in the mint (opens in a new tab) paste, most of the cumin and the black salt (opens in a new tab), and the onion if using. Do not blend the yoghurt, which makes it thin.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Chill for 15 minutes so the mint (opens in a new tab) flavours the yoghurt (opens in a new tab), then sprinkle with the remaining cumin and the reserved mint leaves.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedA household raita across North India and Pakistan. Differs from pudina-dahi-chutney in being mostly yoghurt with a little mint, served by the bowl as a side rather than as a dip.Also popular in PakistanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
No-cook, Blended
Taste
refreshing, herby, creamy, mild
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Yogurt · Mint · Green chilli · Ground cumin · Black salt (kala namak) · Sugar
Techniques
Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom yogurt

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

45 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 83 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 34%
  • Fat 44%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy45 kcal54 kcal
Protein2.5 g3 g
Carbohydrate4 g4.8 g
Net carbohydrate3.7 g4.4 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0.3 g0.4 g
Fibre0.3 g0.4 g
Fat2.3 g2.7 g
Saturated fat1.4 g1.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol9 mg10 mg
Sodium227 mg272 mg
Salt equivalent0.6 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
131 mg
Calcium
93 mg
Iron
0.8 mg
Magnesium
12 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
27 µg
Vitamin C
3 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
0.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
9 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh ginger, red onion.
  • Black salt (kala namak): Table salt (FDC 173468) used as a stand-in; kala namak is mostly sodium chloride with sulphur compounds that give its eggy aroma.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Crushing the mint releases more flavour than chopping, and keeps the raita pale green rather than dark.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much mint, which turns the raita bitter and grey.
  • Adding onion hours ahead; it turns sharp.

Serve with

  • Serve with biryani, pulao, tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs, aloo paratha or spicy curries.

Food safety

  • Keep yoghurt dishes chilled and do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).
  • Herbs and greens carry soil; wash them in several changes of water because this chutney is not cooked.

Storage

  • Refrigerate covered for up to 1 day.

Variations

  • Dried mint raita: Use 1 tsp dried mint, rubbed between the palms, when fresh mint is out of season; common in Pakistan.
  • Pudina kheera raita: Add 100 g grated, squeezed cucumber.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Yogurt, plain full-fat, chilled400 g
Used in step 3

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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