
Chane aur Aloo ka Raita
A refreshing, savoury yoghurt side dish packed with tender chickpeas and diced potatoes. Roasted spices and tamarind give it a cooling, tangy flavour with gentle heat.
Spices for the raita
6 gStirred into the yoghurt mix (step 3)Everything else
Method
- Place 200 g dried chickpea into a large bowl, cover with ample water, and leave to soak overnight.
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and tip them into a pot of boiling water. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours until completely tender, then drain and leave to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 507 g plain yogurt, the drained chickpeas, 1 potato (cut into cubes), 15.6 g tamarind extract, 4.2 g granulated sugar, salt to taste, and the spices for the raita, stirring thoroughly to coat.
- Place the raita in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Don't have something?

Dried chickpea

Chana dalUse equal dry weight; soak for 30 minutes instead of overnight. Cooks much faster and produces a softer, creamier texture rather than firm, whole beans.
Dried red kidney beanSoak overnight and boil until tender; use equal dry weight. Provides a similarly meaty, sturdy bite, though with an earthier flavour and darker gravy.

Plain yogurt

YogurtUse equal weight, whisked thoroughly until smooth before adding to hot dishes to prevent curdling.
Coconut milkUse equal weight with 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed in. Provides rich creaminess in curries, but adds a noticeable coconut flavour.
Single creamUse 80% of the weight plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. Enriches sauces nicely, though it is richer and less tangy.

Cumin seed

Ground cuminUse 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.
Black cumin seedsUse equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.
Fennel seedUse 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Coriander seeds

Ground corianderUse 75% of the weight; stir in along with wet masala or tomato purée rather than frying in hot oil, as the fine powder burns instantly.
Cumin seedUse 50% of the weight for tempering in hot oil. Lacks the floral, sweet citrus flavour of coriander, introducing warm, pungent earthiness instead.
Fennel seedUse 50% of the weight in tempering; provides pleasant aromatic sweetness, though noticeably aniseedy rather than citrusy.

Dried red chilli

Dried kashmiri chilliUse equal weight whole. Fry in hot oil or ghee as tempered spice; gives a richer red colour with slightly milder heat.
Red chilli powderUse 50% to 70% of the weight. Stir into the oil with ground spices; distributes heat evenly throughout the dish without whole chilli skins.

Boiled potato

PotatoBoil until just tender, same weight, then cool and peel; texture and cooking behaviour are almost identical.
New potatoUse same weight; waxy new potatoes hold shape better in curries, so simmer gently.
Sweet potatoUse same weight but expect a sweeter taste and softer mash; reduce further cooking to 5 minutes.

Tamarind extract

TamarindUse 180% of the weight of compressed tamarind; soak in three times its weight of boiling water for 15 minutes, knead, and strain out the thick pulp.
Dried mango powderUse 35% of the weight dissolved in two tablespoons of warm water. Provides sharp tang, though the resulting sauce will be lighter in colour.
Lemon juiceUse equal weight, added right at the end of cooking. Adds sharp acidity without the deep brown hue or pulpy thickness.

Granulated sugar

JaggeryUse equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.
Similar dishes

- Same: Ghashhi shares the base of chickpeas, dried red chillies, coriander seeds, and tamarind with this dish.
- Different: Ghashhi is a cooked, hot curry made with fresh coconut, vegetable oil, turmeric, curry leaves, and mustard seeds, omitting the yoghurt, cumin, and sugar used in this raita.

- Same: Aloo Chholey also combines chickpeas and potatoes seasoned with cumin, coriander, and chilli.
- Different: Aloo Chholey is prepared as a dry snack without yoghurt, tamarind, or sugar, relying instead on lemon juice and amchoor for acidity.

- Same: Sindhi Karhi shares potatoes, chickpea elements, tamarind extract, cumin seeds, and dried red chillies with this dish.
- Different: Unlike this cold, oil-free raita made with whole chickpeas and yogurt, Sindhi Karhi is a hot stew cooked in vegetable oil with chickpea flour, tomatoes, fresh ginger, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida.

- Same: Batata Vada and this dish both use potato and chickpea, and both include cumin seed and salt.
- Different: Batata Vada uses chickpea flour as a coating and is deep-fried with garlic, curry leaf, asafoetida, turmeric, and lemon juice, while this dish is a yogurt-based raita with dried chickpeas, tamarind extract, sugar, coriander seeds, and dried red chilli.


















