10 traditional and comforting Raitas to keep the gut cool

When it comes to side dishes that simply enhance the dining experience, it is important to mention the magic of Raita. It is a curd-based side dish which is flavoured with mild spices and one key ingredient in season. When it comes to summer-friendly raitas, it is said to play around hydrating ingredients as they help boost the overall water content in the body and aid gut health. Here are a few comforting summer raitas to keep the gut cool and healthy.

This is the classic raita made with readymade boondik soaked in sweetened curd and topped with salt, pepper, and cumin powder.

This one is said to keep you safe from side effects of heat. And to make it, you need chopped onion soaked in salted water. Add it to curd, and season with salt, pepper, and cumin powder.

This is a very popular summer raita and to make it, grate kheera and add it to sweetened curd and season it with salt, pepper, cumin powder, and chaat masala.

This one is quite hydrating and filling. To make it, you need to saute grated lauki in ghee along with cumin seeds and gren chili. Add it to sweetened curd and top it with cumin powder, salt, pepper, and chaat masala.

This one is for fruit lovers and to make it, you need to add pineapple chunks to sweetened curd and top it with salt, pepper, and cumin powder.

This raita goes well with rice and paratha both, and to make it, you need to add powdered pudina to sweetened curd and top it with salt, pepper, cumin powder, and chaat masala.

To make this green raita, add spinach puree to sweetened curd and top it with a tadka of mustard oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Season it with salt, pepper, and cumin powder.

For this raita, grate sweet potato and saute it in ghee along with cumin and curry leaves. Onece done, add to sweetened curd and top it with cumin powder, salt, pepper, and chaat masala.

To make this raita, boil beetroot and puree it along with roasted garlic and green chilli, add the puree to sweetened curd, along with salt, pepper, and cumin powder. It is rich in antioxidants and perfect for winter immunity and goes well with thepla and all types of stuffed parathas.

This raita can be made with raw carrot or sauteed too. For the latter version, lightly sauté the grated carrots in ghee along with green chilli, and then mix it with curd along with cumin, black salt, pepper, and chilli powder. It goes well with parathas.