Burani raita recipe is a quick delish raita that can be made in a jiffy (under 5 minutes). Also known as burhani or boorani raita, this recipe comes from Hyderabadi cuisine. Burani raita is served as a side condiment sauce with Biryani.
About this recipe
The specialty of burani raita is the addition of raw garlic to the curd (yogurt). Do not like the raw taste and pungent aroma of garlic? Simply sauté garlic in oil or ghee to add to your raita. Sautéing will mellow their pungent flavors.
Apart from garlic, this mild raita is spiced with roasted cumin powder, chili powder, and salt. For the chilli powder, you can use either yellow or red chili powder.
Burhani raita tastes best with the rich, aromatic, and robust Vegetable Biryani and a simple, fragrant Veg Pulao. You can even serve burani raita as a side dish with a Mughlai or North Indian vegetable dish along with roti or paratha.
For a vegan variation, make burani raita with cashew yogurt, coconut yogurt or almond yogurt.
How to make Burani Raita
1. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making burani raita. You need minimal ingredients and spices to make this one.
2. Take 1 cup full fat curd (yogurt or dahi) in a bowl. With a wired whisk begin to beat the curd. For best tasting creamy raita, I suggest to use Homemade Curd.
TIP: The curd should be freshly made or a fresh stock if using packaged one. Do not use sour curd.
3. Whisk the curd until smooth.
4. Crush 1 to 2 small to medium-sized peeled garlic cloves or mince them. Add to the whisked curd.
5. Mix well.
6. Add ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or yellow chili powder), ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder and salt as required.
7. Mix again.
8. Your burani raita is ready. See, I told you it is so quick to make it.
While serving burani raita, you can garnish it with a light sprinkle of roasted cumin powder and red chili powder. If not serving immediately then store burhani raita in your refrigerator.
9. Serve burani raita chilled or immediately with biryani, pulao or any Indian meal. You can also eat it with any stuffed paratha like aloo paratha, gobi paratha or mooli paratha.
Consume on the same day or at the most, you can store it for one day in the fridge if you have any leftovers.
Helpful Tips
- Garlic: There is a bit of the pungent garlic flavor in this raita. If you do not prefer this, then sauté the garlic in 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil for a few seconds and add to the yogurt.
- Curd: For best tasting creamy raita, make it with full-fat curd made from whole milk. That being said, you can make it with toned milk or low-fat yogurt.
- Chili powder: The chili powder that we include here is simply ground dried red chilies. Sub cayenne pepper or paprika for red chili powder. Yellow chili powder that is made from dried yellow chilies also works well here.
- Cumin powder: The roasted cumin powder has a different aroma than unroasted cumin powder. If you do not have roasted cumin powder, then make your own by roasting/toasting some cumin seeds in a skillet or pan. Roast them until fragrant. Add to a spice grinder to make a fine powder. Store in an air-tight jar in a cool dry place.
- Herbs: Though I have not added any herbs, as I was out of them – coriander leaves and mint leaves add some freshness to the raita.
If you are looking for more Raita recipes then do check:
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Burani Raita
Ingredients
- 1 cup Curd (yogurt)
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves (small to medium-sized), crushed finely or minced
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or yellow chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- salt as required
Instructions
- With a wired whisk whip the curd (yogurt) until smooth.
- Crush the garlic or mince them and add to the yogurt.
- Add the red chili powder, roasted cumin powder and salt. Mix well.
- While serving, you can sprinkle a bit of roasted cumin powder and red chili powder.
- Serve burani raita chilled or immediately with biryani, pulao or any Indian meal. Consume on the same day or at the most, you can store it for one day in the fridge, if you have any leftovers.
Notes
- Garlic: There is a bit of the pungent garlic flavor in this raita. If you do not prefer this, then sauté the garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil for a few seconds and add.
- Curd: For best tasting creamy raita, make it with full fat curd made from whole milk. But you can make it with toned milk or low fat yogurt.
- Chili powder: The chili powder that we include here is simply ground dried red chillies. Sub cayenne pepper or paprika for red chilli powder. Yellow chilli powder that is made from dried yellow chillies also work well here.
- Cumin powder: Roasted cumin powder has a different aroma than unroasted cumin powder. If you do not have roasted cumin powder, then make your own by roasting/toasting some cumin seeds in a skillet or pan. Roast them until fragrant. Add to a spice grinder to make a fine powder. Store in an air-tight jar in a cool dry place.
- Herbs: Coriander leaves or mint leaves add some freshness to the raita and taste good.
Can we add cucumber and tomato too in this raita or will the garlic not go with cucumber n tomato? Thanks in advance.
Welcome Harry. You can add cucumber and tomato.
Thank you for this recipe! Your recipes are absolutely foolproof and this one brings in nice-subtle flavours of garlic in the raita 🙂
pleased to know this nirupama 🙂 thankyou for your positive and kind words.