Rajasthani Raita

Beaten yogurt tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and cumin in ghee, mixed with grated lauki (bottle gourd) or boondi, and seasoned with roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Distinctly different from the milder North Indian raita; the Rajasthani version has a slightly coarser, more rustic texture and a stronger tempering that leaves the yogurt fragrant with ghee and mustard seeds. An essential cooling counterpoint to the fiery, ghee-heavy Rajasthani main course; no Rajasthani thali is complete without it.