Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Burnt Onion Raita
Burnt Onion Raita ()

Burnt Onion Raita

Vegetarian

A smoky yogurt relish made from shallots roasted until deeply blackened, then ground and stirred into thick yogurt. It tastes charred and savoury, with the cool tang of yogurt balanced by sugar and salt.

Ingredients

01
Shallot · Chinna Vengayamhalved
1000 g
aromatic
02
Greek yoghurt · Dahi
500 g
dairy
03
Caster sugar · Boora
to taste
sweetener
04
Salt · Namak
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. Set 1000 g shallot halves cut-side down on a baking tray.
  3. Roast for 2–3 hours until all moisture has gone and the shallots are blackened.
  4. Leave to cool, then grind to a powder in a food processor.
  5. Stir the burnt shallot powder into 500 g greek yoghurt.
  6. Season to taste with caster sugar and sea salt.

Don't have something?

Shallot
  • Onion

    Use equal weight, finely chopped. Red onion matches the pungency best, though it takes slightly longer to brown and lacks shallots' subtle sweetness.

  • Garlic

    Use 20% garlic combined with 80% onion by weight; finely slice to replicate the sharp, sweet aromatic profile.

Greek yoghurt
Caster sugar
  • Granulated sugar

    Use the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.

  • Demerara sugar

    Use the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.

  • Ground jaggery or soft brown sugar

    Use the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.

Similar dishes

Shrikhand (Indian Kitchen)
Yoghurt, Saffron and Cardamom Pudding
Shrikhand tastes creamy, lightly floral and sweet from saffron and cardamom, with a nutty-fruity crunch, while this dish tastes charred, savoury and tangy from blackened shallots and yoghurt.
  • Same: Shrikhand shares Greek yoghurt and caster sugar with this dish, and both are yogurt-based.
  • Different: Shrikhand lacks shallots, sea salt and the roasting step, and it adds saffron, green cardamom, pistachio and pomegranate seeds; this dish grinds blackened shallots into 500 g yoghurt, while Shrikhand uses 1000 g yoghurt with no charred ingredient.
Shallot & Ginger Raita
Shallot & Ginger Raita tastes creamy, fresh and cooling with gentle ginger warmth, sweet-salt balance and toasted cumin, while this dish tastes charred, smoky and savoury from blackened ground shallots.
  • Same: Shallot & Ginger Raita shares Greek yoghurt, shallot, caster sugar and sea salt with this dish, and both are served as a cool yogurt relish.
  • Different: Shallot & Ginger Raita uses 500 g yoghurt and only 80 g banana shallot, while this dish uses 500 g yoghurt with 1000 g shallot; it adds fresh ginger, mint, coriander and toasted cumin seed, and it does not roast, blacken or grind the shallots.
Mattha/Chaas
Cooling Yoghurt Drink
Mattha/Chaas tastes light, tangy and cooling with a cumin-ginger-chilli kick, while this dish tastes charred and savoury with cool sugary yogurt.
  • Same: Mattha/Chaas shares Greek yoghurt and salt with this dish.
  • Different: Mattha/Chaas is thinned with water and flavoured with cumin, ginger, green chilli and coriander, while this dish uses roasted blackened shallots and sugar and has no water.
Sesame Raita
Sesame Raita tastes nutty, garlicky and tangy rather than charred and smoky, with a creamy yogurt base balanced by sugar and salt.
  • Same: Sesame Raita shares Greek yoghurt, caster sugar and sea salt with this dish, and both are cool, tangy yogurt relishes.
  • Different: Sesame Raita uses tahini paste and garlic paste instead of shallots, and it lacks this dish's roasted, blackened shallots and grinding step.