Raita is a condiment in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, more seldom fruit, or in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan.The yogurt may be seasoned with coriander roasted cumin seeds, mint, red chilli Powder, chaat masala and other herbs and spices.Raw ginger and garlic paste, green chilli paste, and sometimes mustard paste are used to enrich flavour.
Raitas can be prepared with three main base ingredients: vegetables (cucumber, onion, tomato,lauki, potato etc), pulses ( boondi, sprouted grams etc ) and fruits ( mango, pomegranate, pineapple, pear etc ).These are mixed with yogurt and flavoured with a variety of seasonings to make different types of raita.
Raita is served as a side dish to be eaten with main course dishes like Biryani, Seekh Kebabs, Paranthas, Pilaf etc.
Bottle Gourd has always been regarded as one of the healthiest veggies. This very versatile vegetable is full of water (about 92%) and minerals and keeps your body hydrated. Also known as Lauki or Doodhi in India, it definitely doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. “Bottle gourd is a vegetable high on water and is a rich source of vitamin C, K and calcium.
Lauki has cooling properties which makes it essential during summer. This recipe requires very minimal Ingredients , which are easily available at our houses. The tempering gives it a unique taste and makes it a complete GASTRONOMICAL EXPERIENCE!!
Ingredients:
200 gms dahi
A cup of lauki ( grated, blanched and squeezed)
2tbspn water
2tsp powdered sugar
Salt to taste
1tsp kala namak
1tsp roasted jeera powder
1 tsp garlic powder ( optional)
For tempering:
2 green chillies ( slit lengthwise)
1tsp mustard seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
1tsp crushed peanuts
A pinch of hing
1/2 tsp kashmiri lal mirch ( just enough to add colour)
Method:
In a large bowl sieve dahi, water and sugar. Once sieved, add Lauki, salt, cumin powder and garlic powder.
For making the tempering: in a pan heat a tbspn of oil/ ghee. Splutter mustard seeds and add hing. Now add the curry leaves and green chillies. Cook for a minute. Switch of the flame and add peanuts and chilli powder.
Immediately pour the tempering over the Raita.
Serve it with Pulao, Naan, Paranthas!
Note:
1. Donot add too much of water. The Raita should have a thick consistency.
2. You can add milk instead of water. It will give more richness and add a fine texture to the Raita. The milk should be cold.
3. Donot add too much of spices in the Raita. You want the tempering to add taste to it.
4. If you donot like your raita to be sweet, you can skip sugar.
P.S: If you follow my posts closely, you will find that I like adding garlic to almost all my food. If the recipes say 3 cloves of garlic, I would have surely added 5. You can totally adjust it to your taste, no hard and fast rules here.
Keep cooking!!
MY HEAD OVER MEALS 