
Mooli ka Raita
A crisp, cooling yogurt side dish balancing the sharp bite of grated white radish with toasted cumin and fresh chillies.
Roasted cumin
2.1 gStirred into the yogurt mixture (step 1)Everything else
Method
- Combine 1 peeled and grated mooli, 507 g plain yogurt, 6 g de-seeded and chopped green chilli, the roasted cumin, and chopped coriander leaf to taste in a mixing bowl.
- Season with salt to taste, stir thoroughly until evenly incorporated, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before dishing up.
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Mooli
White radishSame vegetable under another name; use the same weight, peel and grate or slice. Salt a little less if very pungent.
RadishUse the same weight; red radishes are smaller and sharper, so grate and squeeze out excess water.
TurnipUse the same weight; milder and less peppery, so cook 3-5 minutes longer until tender.

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.

Green chilli

Chilli powderUse 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.
Dried red chilliUse 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

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.
Similar dishes

- Same: Mujh also pairs radish with a yogurt base.
- Different: Unlike this raw raita made with cumin and green chillies, Mujh is braised in mustard oil with Kashmiri garam masala, ground ginger, asafoetida, Kashmiri chilli powder, and sugar.

- Same: Tamatar Mooli also features mooli, cumin seeds, and fresh coriander.
- Different: Instead of raw radish stirred into cold yogurt, Tamatar Mooli is a cooked curry braised in vegetable oil with tomatoes, fresh and ground ginger, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida.

- Same: Seb Aur Chukandar Ka Salaad shares mooli and coriander leaf with this dish, and both use chilli for heat.
- Different: Seb Aur Chukandar Ka Salaad adds apple, cooked beetroot, lime, caster sugar, chaat masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, black salt and dill, and it lacks this dish’s yogurt and cumin.

- Same: Ankur ka Raita shares a base of plain yogurt seasoned with toasted cumin seeds, fresh green chillies, salt, and coriander leaves.
- Different: Ankur ka Raita replaces grated white radish with sprouted mung beans and adds raw onions, sugar, and chilli powder.















