Supporting Cast

At the Indian table, a barrage of condiments elevates and balances main dishes

Yogurt-based raitas mollify the tongue-searing effect of chiles. One of the more basic versions is the cooling kheera ka raita, cucumber-tomato yogurt (left), while kaitha chaka pachadi, spicy pineapple yogurt (right), a raita from Kerala on the Malabar coast, is amped up with sweet pineapple and piquant chiles.

Chutneys layer on a range of flavors—sweet, savory, and beyond. Hara dhaniya ki chutney, coconut-cilantro chutney (left), is rounded out with a mix of earthy spices and beans. For karipatta chutney, curry leaf chutney (right), sesame seeds add nuttiness to the herbaceous blend.