Tender amaranth shoots raita is a refreshing and nutritious dish that combines the cooling properties of plant-based yogurt with the tender young greens of amaranth, a leafy vegetable that has been cultivated in India for thousands of years. Amaranth, known locally as chaulai or keerai, is one of the world’s oldest food crops, with roots tracing back to the Indus Valley civilization and also revered by the Aztecs in Mesoamerica as a sacred grain and leaf. In Indian food traditions, especially in South India, amaranth leaves are commonly sautéed, added to stews, or mixed with lentils, while the tender shoots are considered a seasonal delicacy for their mild flavor and delicate texture. When prepared as a raita, the shoots are lightly steamed or blanched and stirred into creamy yogurt, then tempered with spices such as cumin, green chilies, or curry leaves, making it both a cooling accompaniment to spicy meals and a standalone side. Nutritionally, amaranth shoots are exceptionally rich in iron, calcium, folate, magnesium, and vitamin C, while also offering a high concentration of dietary fiber and plant-based protein, making them particularly beneficial for bone health, blood circulation, and overall immunity. They are also packed with antioxidants like betalains, which support detoxification and fight inflammation. The raita itself, being yogurt-based, adds probiotics for gut health and better digestion, and when made with non-dairy yogurt, it remains completely whole-food, plant-based. Traditionally, amaranth raita has rural origins, where farmers harvested the naturally abundant shoots as a sustainable and easily available green, turning them into nourishing accompaniments for rice and millet-based meals. Today, it remains a seasonal specialty that carries both cultural heritage and modern nutritional relevance, bridging the wisdom of traditional diets with contemporary health-conscious eating.

Ingredients
150 gms amaranth greens, preferably tender shoots (hara chulai, arakeerai)
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 tsp unrefined salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of asafoetida (hing, perunkayam)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (sabut jeera, jeeragam)
Method
Pick the leaves from the amaranth bunch
Discard the thicker stems
Wash well under running water and drain
Set aside
Heat a vessel and add 1 cup water
When the water comes to a boil, add the amaranth leaves