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CHOW: Recipes: Cucumber and Mint Raita

Cucumber and Mint Raita Recipe

From: Fresh Indian , by
Makes: About 1 3/4 cups

Cool, fresh, and extremely versatile, this raita can be served as an accompaniment to almost any dish, snack, or meal. The cool cucumber and yogurt mixture acts as a perfect foil, especially for spicy food.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled
  • 1 cup low-fat yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar
  • 1 red chile, seeded and finely sliced
  • Large handful of chopped mint leaves
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • Roasted cumin seeds and chili powder, to sprinkle
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Halve the cucumber lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the seeds and discard. Either very finely slice or dice the cucumber and place it in a bowl.
  2. Whisk the yogurt and sugar until smooth and add the chile, mint leaves, and lime juice. Season, pour over the cucumber and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with the cumin seeds and chili powder just before serving.

This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food team.

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COMMENT

  • Variation:
    Omit the cumin seeds & chili at the end - don't need chili - it is a cooling dish.

    Instead heat a tablespoon or 2 of mustard oil until smoking [it has to be that hot to mellow out the taste of the oil - or just heat ghee, cooking oil], add in cumin seeds and/or black mustard seeds until the cumin seeds are brown and the mustard seeds have popped. Pour the mixture over the raita & mix...+READ

    Variation:
    Omit the cumin seeds & chili at the end - don't need chili - it is a cooling dish.

    Instead heat a tablespoon or 2 of mustard oil until smoking [it has to be that hot to mellow out the taste of the oil - or just heat ghee, cooking oil], add in cumin seeds and/or black mustard seeds until the cumin seeds are brown and the mustard seeds have popped. Pour the mixture over the raita & mix in.-COLLAPSE

  • Made a similar version with some minor adjustments and it came out very well:

    Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt (it is less watery)
    no sugar
    small minced raw garlic
    cilantro leaves

  • Be sure to use homemade yogurt or a commercial brand that has not been thickened and stretched with unnecessary guar gum, pectin, etc.
    Add a small handful of cilantro for a twist.
    A few Indian restaurants around here would add a small amount of shredded, cooked potato for texture.