Tzatsiki and Raita - many questions!

[EssieAmma]

I love both.
So, what's the difference between them, are they easy to make, and do they freeze?

I like my raita to be like the one you get with Indian takeaways though, runny and minty mmmm. They sell it in Tooting in litre bottles, but much as I love it I don't see consumption being a litre a week. Hence will it freeze?

Is this for a boy or a girl?

Oops wrong forum

Can only speak from my own experience (no food guru!), but for me Raita is meant to be a cooling 'side' dip. I make it with plain natural yoghurt, cucumber, very finely chopped mint(don't go overboard) and a little bit of paprika. Tzatziki is more of a dip for pitta, veg crudites etc. I use Greek yoghurt (makes it thicker and creamier) and add a bit of crushed garlic and much more mint/cucuumber to make it chunkier.

ROFL!

Tzatziki has LOTS of garlic in it. Is that perhaps the difference?

OK, thanks. (The ROFL was for the boy or girl question, btw!) Will have to do lots of raita/tzatziki testing now!

A very easy Indian style one made by skinning, deseeding and grating cucumber. Then squeeze it to get rid of water and add to yoghurt.
For an authentic (if there is such a thing) 'Indian restaurant' type taste, add some mint sauce and sugar.

I am not sure how you classify the difference but I would consider raita to be runnier, mintier and must less sold.

To make good tzatziki you need thick greek yoghurt, cumcumber, garlic and mint. You also need a little olive oil and some sherry or wine vinegar. This is essential. About one teaspoon of vinegar per half large tub of yoghurt and a couple of teaspoons of olive oil.

HAve never made tzarziki. For Raita I use natural yoghurt, squeeze of lemon, very finely chopped mint, pinch of paprika and small cubes of cucumber.

The yoghurt should really be strained through muslin to make tsatziki but needless to say, I never bother.

For raita, I mix yoghurt, mint, a splash of milk to make it runnier, coriander and a bit of chilli (it's also nice blended so it goes green!).

For tsatziki I use garlic, yoghurt, de-seeded cucumber that I've squeezed dry, bit of lemon juice, mint - and keep it thick.

Oh and olive oil in the tsatziki too.

MmmmmmMMMMMM!