This Raita Recipe (Pakistani Cilantro Sauce) is a quick and easy 10-minute recipe for a popular Pakistani condiment. A cilantro chutney is prepared and mixed with some yogurt to make this light and refreshing raita.
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Chutneys are a type of condiment that dates back to 500 BC in India. The word Chutney comes from the Urdu (Pakistan's native language) word "chaatna" which means "to lick." Whether sweet, salty, sour, or spicy, their primary purpose is to enhance the flavor of the food you pair with it.
Whereas some of the more complex types of chutneys are cooked (for example, mango chutney or plum chutney), the majority, like this raita recipe, are prepared by grinding a combination of fresh ingredients, traditionally in a mortar and pestle and nowadays in a food processor or blender.
I enjoy this Raita most with rice dishes like Pulao and Biryani. However, it's also a great way to cool the palate when enjoying spicy curries or as a side for aloo paratha or leftover turkey recipe (for naan).
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Pairs perfectly with spicy food - This raita is a great condiment to have at the table when you're serving spicy curries like tawa fry beef keema or some shami kabab to a group of people who may want to tone down the spices.
- It takes only 10 minutes to prepare- This is my favorite part about this raita recipe. It's delicious, beautiful to look at, quick, and easy!
- There are many ways to vary the recipe - Add some mint, micro greens, nuts, and even desiccated coconut to change the texture and flavor of this raita so it pairs perfectly with your food.
- This recipe can be easily adapted for people with dietary restrictions - Can't eat dairy? Want a Vegan option? Make this raita recipe with cashew, almond, coconut, or soy yogurt. It's as simple as that!
Ingredient notes
- Cilantro - Fresh cilantro with thin stems is the crucial ingredient in this raita recipe.
- Onion - I use a quarter of a yellow onion to add flavor to this recipe. Feel free to use purple if you prefer, although you may note a change in the color of the final raita.
- Garlic - A small clove or ¼ teaspoon if you use paste works well here.
- Ginger - Use 1 teaspoon of crushed ginger paste or freshly zested ginger.
- Serrano pepper - If this is too spicy, de-seed it or use a jalapeno in your raita instead.
- Lemons - The lemon juice adds flavor and keeps the herbs a vibrant green.
- Spices - Red chilies add a different type of spiciness than peppers, so I like to use a little of both. The raita tastes perfect with tangy Amchur, earthy cumin, and salt.
- Sugar - A pinch of sugar helps balance the spices and other flavors in this raita recipe, rounding out the taste of this chutney.
- Yogurt - The final ingredient, this takes a simple chutney and turns it into a raita.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Change up the spices - Many people add only ground cumin and salt to their raita, while others add a tempering of mustard seeds or dried pomegranate seeds. Play around with the recipe and change it up to suit your taste.
- Add some different herbs - If mint is available at your grocery store, add ¼ cup to this raita recipe. I occasionally also add microgreens for both flavor and nutrition.
- Add some veggies - Grate some cucumber and add it to the raita or garnish with some pomegranate seeds for texture and flavor.
- Make it chunky or pureed - The raita can be pureed to a fine texture or left a little chunky.
Step-by-step instructions
- First step - Add the cilantro, onion, garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, and lemon juice to your grinder or blender.
- Second step - Puree till you have a cohesive mixture.
- Third step - Add all the spice powders, sugar, and ¼ cup of water (if necessary).
- Fourth step - Blend till everything is well mixed.
- Fifth step - I like my mixture finely pureed but not too thin; feel free to blend the chutney according to your preferences.
- Sixth step - Whip the yogurt till you have a smooth mixture. Use a little milk to thin this out if necessary. You're looking for a pouring consistency.
- Seventh step - Add 2 tablespoons of the chutney concentrate per 1 cup of yogurt.
- Eighth step - Mix everything well and adjust the salt and chilies in your raita as necessary.
Expert Tips
- Batch and freeze the chutney concentrate - Make the puree and freeze it in an ice tray for future use. Defrost 1 cube per 1 cup of yogurt as needed.
- Use only thin stems—For this raita recipe, it is essential to use only fine stems. Larger stems have a high water content and can make the chutney very runny.
- Add the liquid first - To prevent the greens from getting stuck in the blender blades, always add the liquid first and then all your fresh ingredients. After a few pulses, the greens will release water, which will help achieve perfect consistency.
- Make this ahead of time - For the best flavor, mix the green chutney and yogurt and let the raita sit in the fridge for at least half an hour.
- Use milk to help with consistency - Add a little milk if the yogurt seems too thick or tastes sour. This will fix the consistency and add a little sweetness as well.
Recipe FAQS
If your raita is too thin, add nut powder, like cashew, or use some desiccated coconut. Both will absorb the extra liquid and thicken the chutney.
Leftover raita is great as a marinade for a hariyali green chicken tikka recipe, or in sandwiches and wraps, like this easy chicken tikka sandwich.
For best results, freeze the concentrated chutney puree and mix only what you need with yogurt. Once the chutney is made into raita, it can stay in the fridge for 48 hours.
Other chutney recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, please tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Raita Recipe (Pakistani Cilantro Sauce)
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Ingredients
- 2 cup cilantro
- ¼ yellow onion (see notes)
- 1 serrano pepper (see notes)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger (see notes)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin (see notes)
- ½ amchur powder (see notes)
- ½ sugar
- ¼ cup water (if needed)
- 2 cups yogurt (see notes)
- ¼ cup milk (if needed)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the Cilantro and remove any thick stems (see notes)
- Peel the ginger and zest it.
- Slice the quartered onion.
- Remove the stem from the serrano pepper.
- Add all of the ingredients except the yogurt to the blender and pulse till you have a thin paste (see notes)
- Mix 1 tablespoon of the chutney per half cup of yogurt to make the raita.
- Freeze unused chutney in an ice tray for future use (see notes).
Notes
- Cilantro - Fresh cilantro with thin stems is the crucial ingredient in this raita recipe. Discard any thick stems, as they will make the raita runny. However, the thin stems carry a lot of flavor and aroma, so I like to use them.
- Onion - I use a quarter of a yellow onion to add bulk and flavor to this recipe. Please don't use too much, as it will alter the taste. Yellow onion is preferred, but if needed, you can substitute this with a red onion.
- Serrano - If you find this too spicy, de-seed it or use a jalapeno instead.
- Ginger - Use 1 teaspoon of crushed ginger paste or freshly zested ginger.
- Lemon - This adds flavor, keeps the herbs vibrant green, and provides a liquid base to the chutney.
- The spices - The salt, cumin, and amchur are a must, but I also like adding red chili powder. This adds a different heat than the pepper, and the 2 combine for perfect flavor.
- Water - Use water only if necessary. I keep this on hand and add only 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Yogurt - The final ingredient, this takes a simple chutney and turns it into raita.
- Milk—I use milk when the yogurt is too thick or sour. It helps create a perfect consistency and flavor.
- Freezing the chutney- I like to batch-make at least 1 cup of green chutney at a time and freeze it in an ice tray in 2-tablespoon portions. This way, I can quickly defrost a cube of the chutney and add it to my yogurt.
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