Delicious Kumaoni Raita Recipe/Kumaoni Kheere Ka Raita: Raita is an essential and integral part of Indian food. Whether it is a wedding or a festival, making raita is considered essential in a public program with the possibility of more people coming. Raita is also consumed regularly in many homes, especially in summers. The popularity of raita and its compulsion in group meals is actually due to the general rules of Indian cuisine.
In almost all the provinces of India, food is considered complete only when there is a mixture of salty, sour, and sweet in it. If there are pulses and vegetables in salty, then pickle, chutney, raita, etc. in sour. Sweets are also prevalent at the end of the meal, like Gulab Jamun, Rasgulla, Kheer, Halwa, etc.
If none of these is found, then sugar with jaggery nuggets or fennel is fine. But among all these food ingredients, raita has achieved the highest prestige. The reason for this is its auspicious color, ability to reduce the pungency of lentils, and the supernatural taste of raita in the general public.
Famous and Delicious Kumaoni Raita Recipe from Uttarakhand
Raita is a curd-based Indian dish that is also very much liked in Uttarakhand and especially in the Kumaon division. The curd is churned and food ingredients like onion, cucumber, cucumber, tomato, or gram flour boondi or pineapple are mixed in to make raita. Apart from all this, roasted cumin, asafoetida, and sometimes mint are also added to it. It serves a side dish with roti, rice, or other dishes like Chole Poori.
Even if you have eaten many types of raita, but if the “Kumauni Raita” of Uttarakhand is made and to get two spoons of it, you have to struggle a lot. This extra fascination among the people of Uttarakhand and especially the people of Garhwal and Kumaon Mandal towards “Kumauni Raite” is not unnecessary. Apart from other raitas, something different, delicious and fragrance binds the eater in its infatuation.
In all other raitas, where their originality is their sourness, while in Kumaoni raita, the characteristic spiciness and aroma of Pahari Kakhadi (Cucumber) with sourness, the pungency of mustard seeds, and the chirping of hill green chill make it stand out in a different category. And Kumaoni Raite has assumed its distinctive form due to the climate and temperature of the region of Uttarakhand.
Must Read: Delicious Dishes of Uttarakhand
Ingredients for making Kumaoni Raita
Although raita is usually made in every house on the mountain, the thing about Kumaoni raita is unique. Kumaoni Raita is equally liked in Garhwal-Kumaon due to its special taste. In Garhwal, it is called ‘Railu’. Let us also know about this raita of Kumaoni. And know how it is made.
- Curd – 1/2 Kg
- Pahari Kakhdi (Cucumber) – 1/2 Kg
- Green chili – three to four
- Mustard seeds – two spoons
- Turmeric – half teaspoon
- Cumin – half teaspoon
- Salt – half teaspoon
Pahari Kakhdi, the basic ingredient of raita
The basic ingredient of Kumaoni Raita is Pahari Kakhdi. This Kakhari starts being produced in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand only during the rainy days and with the rains, the temperature in the mountain drops and it starts getting cold.
There is a belief in folklore that curd and its products are cold in taste. Now the delicious raita made from Pahadi Kakhdi is also to be eaten and its cold effect is also to be neutralized, then it has been broken with mustard seeds, green chili, and turmeric.
It is believed that both mustard and green chili are hot in their nature, so the balance of temperate is established as soon as they meet in cold nature curd and kakhdi. Turmeric did the work of anti-bacterial in this and thus came into existence the world’s unique raita. Which is sour, full of unique aroma, and also pungent.
How to Make Kumaoni Raita Recipe?
Beat the curd well and keep it in a vessel. Peel the kakhdi and grate them. If hill kakhari is not available, then indigenous kheer of the plain area can also be used. Squeeze the grated kakhdi lightly and remove the excess water and mix it in the whipped curd.
Or, to make Kumaoni Raita, mix the powder of mustard seeds or mustard seeds in soil or any traditional vessel a day before and keep it for curdling. In this way, a strong chemical reaction takes place by setting curd.
After the curd has set, add grated cucumber or cucumber to it, according to the need, now grind mustard seeds, cumin, and green chilies in a silbatta or electric grinder and for more taste, along with a sprinkling of mustard seeds and jambu It is known that this mixture should also be mixed in curd.
Mix all these ingredients well in curd and keep the vessel in the fridge for about half an hour. If it is winter, then it can be kept outside also. When you want to serve raita, add salt to it. The reason for adding salt at the end is because adding salt beforehand can make the raita sour. So it’s ready. By the way, people on the mountain also make it according to their own accord.
Also Read: 10 Famous Traditional Food Uttarakhand
Different traditions of making Raita
In Kumaon, raita is served exclusively at weddings, while in Garhwal there is a tradition of eating raita during Pitrupaksha or festivals. However, looking at its taste, raita has now become a part of eating on every occasion. Raita is very much liked by the Kumaoni people. Cucumber raita is easily available in the fairs and markets of the Kumaon division.
Today, the process of spreading Kumaoni Raita of Uttarakhand started in the whole country and abroad, it spread so much that today it has spread to the Gulf countries of Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar. Maybe someday a loving guest of Kumaoni raita may come to your house too.
So, tie this knot to make Kumaoni Raita for his hospitality and enjoy the applause from the head of the guest. If you want that the guest does not request you to feed it again and again, then teach the guest how to make it so that next time you can enjoy Kumaoni Raita by visiting their house.
Elderly people in the mountains tell that if you want to taste the real taste of Kumaoni Raita, then make it and keep it covered for 2 hours. After this, its sensation rises to the head. This means that the older the raita becomes after making it, the more effective the rai leaves on it.