Raita is a cucumber-yogurt salad used in Indian cuisine as a cooling balance to the spicy dishes like biryani. This is so simple and easy to make dish. I really love this raita because of its cooling properties. Best accompaniment for raita is biryani. Also you can use it as dip for pita chips or potato chips.
Ingredients
1 Medium Sized Cucumber, Diced
2 Cups of Yogurt / Thick Curd
1/4 Cup of Red Onion, Finely Chopped
1/4 Tsp of Roasted Cumin Powder
Pinch of Kala Namak / Black Salt
1 Green Chilly, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp of Coriander Leaves, Chopped
Salt to Taste
To Temper
2 Tsp of Oil
1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
Method
- Wash and peel the cucumber skin. Chop them into pieces. Keep them aside.
- Roast the cumin seeds in a medium heat for a few seconds until nice aroma comes. Powder it in a mortar and pestle.
- In a bowl, using whisk, whip the curd/yogurt until smooth and creamy.
- To the yogurt bowl, add chopped onion, cucumber, green chilly, roasted cumin powder, black salt, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well with a spoon.
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, after it splutter, transfer this to the yogurt bowl. Mix well.
- Serve immediately with biryani or cover and refrigerate it for 15 mins to allow flavors to blend.
Tips
- You can add red chilly powder or pepper powder instead of green chilly.
- Adding mint leaves gives you great flavor.
- You can also make raita without adding the tempering.
- Greek yogurt tastes great for raita.
- You can add grated or diced cucumber for making raita.
Health Benefits of Cucumber
- Keeps the body hydrated.
- Rich in vitamin A and B
- Good for skin, joints and teeth.
- Aids in digestion and weight loss.
- Stimulates hair growth.
- Fight against cancer.
