A cool and refreshing Indian condiment for hot and spicy dishes, made with yogurt, cumin, cucumber and mint.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Whenever I dine out at an Indian restaurant, I make sure the meal includes plenty of raita on the side.
Much like sour cream or crema fresca is served with chili-infused Mexican food, the casein in yogurt absorbs capsaicin, the compound that gives chili its spiciness. Raita can be used as a sauce or dip.
This raita is made with cucumber and mint because I have a lot of mint in the garden and cucumbers are plentiful at the farmers market.
You could easily use cilantro in place of the mint, or carrots, or papaya in place of the cucumber.
Do you have a favorite raita recipe? Please let us know in the comments.
Cucumber Mint Raita
If you’re using English cucumbers, which are milder and thinner-skinned than the regular cucumbers we get in America, you don’t need to peel them.
*To slice the mint leaves, “chiffon” them by stacking them on top of each other, rolling them up like a cigar, and slicing thin slices from the end.
** If whole cumin seeds are available, take a teaspoon and first toast the seeds in a small pan until just fragrant. Then grind with a mortar and pestle.
ingredients
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A large (or two Middle) cucumberspeeled, halved lengthways and cored, then grated
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2 cups (475 ml) normal whole milk yoghurt
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10 big mint leavesthinly sliced* (can sub cilantro)
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1/2 teaspoon ground cumin**
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prize cayenne
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prize paprika
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salt and pepper
method
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Place the grated cucumber in a colander and press with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Alternatively, place the grated cucumber in the center of a clean tea towel, wrap the towel around the cucumber and wring out excess moisture.
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In a medium bowl, stir the spices and mint into the yogurt. Stir in the grated cucumber. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Links:
Cucumber, Radish, Cilantro Raita by Herbivoracious
Cucumber Raita (Perugu Pachadi) – from Sailu’s Kitchen
General Chemistry Online: Fire and Spice – an explanation of how milk relieves the spiciness of chili.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 37 | calories |
| 2g | Fat |
| 4g | carbohydrates |
| 2g | protein |
