Raita or spiced yoghurt is one of the most popular side dishes in India. There are countless varieties of raita and many regional variations. This cucumber raita is a summer favourite in our home. Sometimes when I am homesick (and lazy), I eat a large bowl of this raita by itself for dinner. You can think of it as India's answer to Tzatziki. Unlike its cousin Tzatziki though, cucumber raita usually doesn't contain any garlic but is rather spiced with roasted cumin seed powder, which I find makes it more refreshing and lets the subtle flavour of the cucumber shine through. It characterised by creamy yoghurt and crunchy cucumber strands.
This raita comes together in minutes and pairs well with any subzi and roti.
- 1 cup pr 250ml yoghurt
- 175g cucumber
- 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seed powder
- 1/8th tsp red chilli powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- Grate the cucumber on the largest holes of your box grater.
- Add the grated cucumber to a bowl and mix well with the salt. Let the cucumber salt for 5-10 minutes. This helps crisp up the cucumber and releases excess water from the fruit. You can either discard this so that the yoghurt remains creamy, or mix it in. I usually decide to squeeze the water out, if the yoghurt is already quite runny, but if it's thick and creamy, you can mix it in.
- In the meantime, whisk the yoghurt together with the roasted cumin powder and chilli powder (if using).
- Squeeze out the excess water from the cucumber and mix the cucumber strands into the yoghurt.
- Cucumber raita is ready to serve. Ideally, serve chilled with roti and subzi or enjoy by itself.
This recipe makes 2 small portions, perfect for eating as a side dish, however this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.