Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Cucumber Raita (Indian Yogurt Sauce)


Raita is a cool, salty yogurt dip used as a condiment to temper the heat in spicy dishes. I ordered raita in India because I knew the main dish was going to be spicy, like most food there, and it turned out the raita was just as spicy.... I am not sure if that was common or if the waiters were having fun with me :) I did have it many times after that and it was cool and refreshing, by the end of my trip I was ordering raita and plain rice as my meal, mixed together yum! The raita compliments any spicy dish so give it a try, it is great with curries!

Ingredients
1 cup yogurt, plain and drained
1 cup cucumber, seeded, diced and drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP fresh mint, finely chopped

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well
2. Refrigerate 1 hour to allow flavors to blend

Tip #1: To drain the yogurt, line a sieve with paper coffee filters pour in about 2 cups of yogurt, place over a bowl, cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Tip #2: To drain the cucumber, after diced place in a colander and sprinkle with salt; let sit 30 minutes. Using a paper towel squeeze out excess water.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 comment:

  1. A yummy and refreshing sauce - looks delicious :)

    ReplyDelete