Sour Milk Sauce (Amasi Raita)
A cool, tangy South African raita combining fermented amasi, crisp cucumber, and warm mustard-caramelised onions.
A cool, tangy side that every biryani needs! This sour milk sauce (amasi raita) is something my mum has always made alongside biryani—simple ingredients, but it completely lifts the dish. Creamy amasi combines with fresh cucumber, dried mint, and warm caramelised onions to create a refreshing balance to spiced rice dishes.
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Caramelise Onions & Temper Spices
Heat 1 to 2 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add 1 thinly sliced onion and fry until soft and lightly caramelised.
- 2
Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and ½ tsp dried mint to the pan, cooking briefly for 1 minute until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the mint becomes aromatic. Season with ½ tsp salt, or to taste, and remove from heat.
- 3
Combine & Chill
In a serving bowl, whisk together 1 cup sour milk (amasi) and ½ sliced cucumber.
The rest of this recipe
There’s 3 more ingredients and 2 more steps to go.
Start 7 days free and the rest of Sour Milk Sauce (Amasi Raita) opens in full.
- Every recipe in full, this one included
- One shopping list across everything you’re cooking
- Servings that scale, and cups instead of grams
- Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia a question on any recipe
A payment method is collected at checkout. Your 7 days are free; cancel before they’re up and you’re not charged. After that your plan renews automatically until you cancel, which takes two clicks in your account.
Ivana Sanshia’s note
Amasi is a traditional fermented milk product in South Africa with a thick, tangy curd—combining it with Indian tempering techniques (tadka) is a classic example of South African culinary fusion!
Mum’s note
Pouring the warm caramelised onions and warm spiced oil straight into the cold amasi slightly infuses the sauce, softening the sharp acidity of the fermented milk.
Dried mint works much better than fresh mint here! It holds its fragrant flavour against the strong tang of the amasi without wilting or turning dark.
Club
Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia
If you have any questions, ask, and Ivana Sanshia replies to you personally. No Bots, No AI.
Sent to Chef Ivana Sanshia
She reads every question herself and replies by email, usually within a day or two.
Filed under
Picked by Ivana Sanshia
Other dishes you might like
All recipes →Hand-picked to round out the meal, or simply to cook next.
