Cucumber Raita

Raitas are used as a cooling condiment between hot side dishes and entrées.   One thing you have to watch with Indian food is to have a range of spice flavors, from mild to strong, spicy to plain hot.

Try not to design your meal with all hot items, or all mild ones either.  You want to provide a balance of flavors and range of intensities.  Yogurt raitas are there to cool you off and work as a nice palate cleanser too.

Here’s what you need:

	1 cup plain nonfat or whole-milk yogurt
	1/4 cup coarsely grated hothouse (seedless) cucumber
	1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted. [coarsely ground, or not]
	1 Tbsp.. olive oil
	1/2 tsp. minced garlic
	1 small scallion, finely chopped
	1 tsp. snipped chives, or fresh cilantro leaves
	Black pepper, to taste
	Optional: 1/2 red pepper diced, or 1/2 red tomato diced

Here’s what you do:

1. Peel cucumber. Grate with hand grater using the large holes.

2. Toast cumin seeds for a few seconds in a small, heavy frying pan over high heat.

3. In a bowl, stir yogurt until it is smooth. Mix it with the cumin, garlic, chopped scallions and cilantro leaves and the balance of ingredients.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but no longer than 3. Stir well before serving.  Sprinkle with paprika.

Notes: Leave out the cucumber and the texture is close to a crème fraîche. Try drizzling your raita over a bed of saffron rice that has had a mango chutney folded in.


Makes 1 cup.

Sub Rosa Recipes
East Indian Thanksgiving
Mango Chutney