Spice up your life with an Indian banquet! And cool it down with this Raita Recipe!
Indian food hadn’t been introduced to my small town in California, and so I hesitantly tried curry and naan for the first time when I was 20, quickly loving the spices, heat, and textures. In 2015, I spent a month traveling around India, and when I landed in Mumbai, my obsession with tandoori chicken knew no bounds. I ordered it every day that first week. California has some very tasty Indian restaurants, but nothing prepared me for just how delicious a food tour that trip through India would be. Butter chicken, dal, tikka masala, palak paneer—I was eating everything in sight, not to mention the 20 cups of two-cent chai tea I had each day.
Now, I am proud of how I can handle my spice. I was christened “Salsa Baby” after my mother went into labor after eating a Mexican feast, I love a good habanero pepper in my guacamole, and I once won a spicy pepper eating challenge with my English students who were half my age. But India gave me a run for my money. Spices have been scientifically proven to stop food from spoiling, and because India has one of the hottest climates on the planet, spices have been added to foods for centuries to keep things fresh and bacteria at bay. Vindaloo is a fire-hot curry, phaal curry contains the fearsome ghost chili pepper, and freshly ground black pepper and red chili powder are present in most Indian dishes. How do you cope with such sweat-inducing cuisine?
Enter raita: a delicious, creamy, blessedly cool dip to balance the spices of curries. Thick Greek yogurt, fresh cucumber, fresh lemon juice, and fresh mint are mixed thoroughly, then sprinkled with a whisper of cumin and salt to bring forth a tiny bit of flavor, and there you have a way to enjoy the smorgasbord of flavors at an Indian feast.
Is This Raita Recipe Healthy?
Made with clean ingredients, raita is a healthy option. Greek yogurt provides calcium for strong bones and teeth, as well as probiotics that support gut health, making it a great breakfast choice. Cucumbers are high in fiber, lemon juice offers a burst of vitamin C, and cumin contains antioxidants. A true wonder food!
The Benefits of Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey, resulting in a thicker consistency. The specific straining and fermentation processes cause Greek yogurt to have less lactose than other milk products. Also, Greek yogurt is naturally lower in sugar and carbohydrates than regular yogurt, too.
How to make ahead and store
Definitely check the date on the yogurt container before you purchase. If the yogurt is good to go, mix up the yogurt, herbs, juice, and spices a few hours before serving, allowing all the flavors to develop, and it will taste delicious for the next 3 days. Beware—cucumbers are 96% water, the highest water content of any food. The longer raita sits, the more watery the dip will become. Avoid this by removing the seeds from the cucumber, greatly reducing the liquid content.
Serving Suggestions
If it’s just an appetizer, crackers, pita bread, and vegetables will dunk well into this mellow dip. But, why not expand your horizons and go full Bollywood feast! Kick the spice level up a notch because you will have crisp and refreshing raita to balance the flavors. Bust out the naan and the curry seasonings, and try out some of our superb Indian-inspired recipes: Indian Salmon Curry Zucchini Noodles with Coconut Milk, Naan Pizza, Butter Chicken Dip, Indian Chicken Rice Casserole, Indian Spiced Chicken With Cashew Cilantro Pesto, and Indian Chicken Kebab.
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large English cucumber
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Finely dice the English cucumber to ensure a pleasant texture in each bite. Finely chop the mint.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, chopped mint, ground cumin, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve the raita chilled as a refreshing side or condiment with your favorite Indian dishes.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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