Curry Leaf Raita (South Indian Yogurt Dip)
This curry leaf raita is my mom’s family recipe, learned from a friend and brilliant home cook in Kerala over 30 years ago. We call it our “3-ingredient” raita because ginger, garlic and fresh curry leaves are the three aromatics that do all the flavour work. Sautéed in olive oil and stirred into cool, tangy yogurt, they make an incredibly fragrant dip that goes with almost anything — from dal and grilled chicken to vegetables, flatbreads and even tacos. It’s the version I grew up eating: a little piece of South India adapted to our Italian-inspired kitchen in Germany.
Equipment
- 1 Skillet or non-stick frying pan A medium or small skillet will do
- 1 Bowl For serving
Ingredients
- 500 gram Full Fat Yogurt
- 2-3 Curry leaves Access to fresh curry leaves can be tricky. Usually, South Asian grocers carry fresh curry leaves. I freeze them right after purchase. This is perfect for portioning.
- 2 cloves Garlic Preferably fresh
- 1 knob Ginger
Pantry Items
- 1 tbspn olive oil If you can use good quality here, it makes a difference to the taste.
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Gently heat a generous amount of olive oil in a skillet or pan on low to medium heat.
- Meanwhile, slice or dice the garlic cloves and ginger.
- Take out 2-3 fresh curry leaves from the freezer or the fridge.
- Add the curry leaves, garlic and ginger to the warm olive oil and sauté until fragrant.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat before the garlic burns.
- Add the cold yoghurt to the curry, it will warm a bit in the process, which is the intended result.
- Mix well and serve immediately with rice, roti, chapati, naan and or dal.