JAMUN RAITA | BLACK PLUM YOGURT SALAD

Jamun Raita or Black Plum Yogurt Salad or Basic and Easy Indian Raita Recipe

Jamun Raita or Black Plum Yogurt Salad is a refreshing, healthy, and delicious Indian recipe, prepared in less than 5 minutes that can be served as a side or condiment with any meal. One of the best recipes to try during summer when jamuns are in season.

No Indian meal - vegetarian or non-vegetarian - lunch or dinner is complete without raita, lassi, curd, or milk. I am surprised that such a frequent dish from Indian cuisine is not on my blog. For all those who are new to Indian cooking, I have tried to explain everything that I know.

What is Raita?

Raita is an Indian condiment or side prepared mainly using yogurt as a base to which either cooked or raw vegetables like beetroot, cucumber, onions, tomato, radish, carrots, ladyfinger (okra), potatoes, capsicum or bell pepper, or fruits like mango, pineapple, papaya is added along with herbs like coriander leaves (cilantro) or pudina (mint) and spices like cumin powder, red chile powder, chat masala or green chilies.  You can add any combination of herbs and spices. You can even temper it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic cloves, and curry leaves.

This is one of the most flexible and versatile dishes from Indian cooking.

How do you eat or serve raita?

Raita salad is traditionally served with biryani, pulao or pilaf, kebabs, parathas, or khichdi like dal khichdi, palak khichdi, bisi bele bath, or even steamed rice or boiled rice.

Is raita sauce the same as tzatziki sauce?

Traditionally raita is made with plain yogurt or curds while tzatziki is made using thick Greek yogurt. Raita can be on the thinner side while tzatziki has a thick consistency.

How to make the best and easy raita at home?

Making raita at home is very simple if you have yogurt or curds. Use thick full-fat plain yogurt if possible. You can even use store-bought hung yogurt or Greek yogurt.

Basically, if you are using 1 1 /3 cup of plain yogurt, you can add up to 1 cup of vegetables (raw, boiled, or roasted). Then adjust the spices and consistency as desired.

Is Raita good for weight loss?

For all weight watchers, here is the good news. Raita is prepared using plain yogurt which is high in protein which helps in keeping you full, low in unhealthy fats. Perfect for digestion and weight loss.

What is Jamun or Black Plum?

Jamun or Black plum is a refreshing and nutritious fruit available during summer in India, from an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant/tree belonging to the Myrtaceae family. It goes by the botanical name Syzygium cumini.

It is popularly known as java plum or Indian blackberry in English, Malabar plum, jambolan or jambul in Hindi, Naavar Pazham in Tamil and Neredu in Telugu, Mahaphala (fruit of gods) in Sanskrit (this may be because there is saying that Lord Rama survived eating this fruit during his 14 years stay in the forest).

Health benefits of Black Plum?

Jamun or Black Plum have high medicinal value. These are low in calories, a good source of Vitamin C (improves hemoglobin count), it has a low glycemic index which keeps sugar level normal, plus the leaves, bark, and extract from seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicine to control high blood sugar levels.

We never liked this fruit during our childhood maybe because of its sharp and astringent aftertaste. But with a lot of health benefits and recipes like the one below which enhances the taste without compromising nutritional and health benefits, we have started consuming it when they are in season.

Try this raita and you will regret what you have missed all these years. It is unbelievably delicious.

Ingredients for Jamun Raita or Black Plum Yogurt Salad

1 cup Jamun (deseeded and finely chopped)
1 ⅓ cup Plain yogurt or curds or dahi
1 or 2 Green chilies, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
½ teaspoon Chat Masala, optional (vary to taste)
½ teaspoon Red chile powder or Cayenne, optional (vary to taste)
¼ to ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, optional (vary to taste)
2 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro, finely chopped

Steps to prepare Jamun Rata or Black Plum Yogurt Salad

• In a bowl add jamun, yogurt, green chilies, salt to taste, spices (any or all of the above - chat masala, red chile powder, cumin powder), coriander leaves, and mix well.
• Refrigerate till you are ready to serve.

Tips

• If you are serving it for kids, set their portion aside and then add green chilies and/or red chile powder.
• Start spices with ¼ to ½ teaspoon and increase only if needed.
• First, roast the cumin seeds on low flame and then crush them into fine powder if you are using it in the recipe.
• Instead of black plums or Jamun, you can even use olives, cranberries, or any summer berry.
• This raita or any other variation given below can be prepared during fasting vrat and upvas days. Just add sendha namak or kosher salt instead of regular salt.

Some popular Indian Raita Recipe variations

• Cucumber Raita - Follow the same recipe as above. Instead of Jamun add cucumber. For more flavor, you can add onions and tomatoes if desired.
• Beetroot Raita - Boil and add beetroot chunks or saute and add them instead of Jamun in the recipe. For this, you can even temper it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, or crushed garlic cloves.
• Potato Raita - This is done similar to beetroot raita.
• Lady finger, Okra, or Bhindi raita - This is one of my favorite. Cut okra into small circles and roast it in a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil till it's cooked through and then roast last 1 minute on high flame to get burnt or BBQ flavor. Use this to make raita. For this, you can even temper it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, or crushed garlic cloves.
• Capsicum Raita - This is done in a similar way as ladyfinger raita.
• Radish Raita or Mooli Raita - Just grate radish and add instead of Jamun.
• Boondi raita - Add 1 cup of boondi (fried droplets from chickpea-flour or besan batter)  just before serving instead of Jamun in the given recipe.
• Mint Raita or Pudina Raita - Add a loosely packed combination of mint leaves and coriander leaves ( 1 cup) in a blender along with ⅓ cup of yogurt and other ingredients mentioned in the recipe above and finely mix with remaining yogurt.

I can go on but these are a few of my favorites. What is your favorite raita recipe?

Detailed recipe for Jamun raita or Black Plum Yogurt salad

Recipe card

If you like this Basic, simple and easy raita recipe

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