Cucumber Raita or Kheere ka Raita is a creamy side dish made using grated cucumber, yogurt, and a few spices. It is a great accompaniment with spicy Indian meals and has many health benefits. Here is how to make it.
Just like some other yogurt-based recipes like Beet Banana Smoothie or Strawberry Lassi, this recipe is also a crowd-pleaser.
Are you the one who loves indulging in a lot of spicy food, but end up searching for glasses of water, then congratulations, you are looking for the perfect side-dish to complement all your hot and spicy meals and I am sure you won’t end up gasping for more and more water.
Cucumber raita is such an amazing side dish that perfectly complements all your main course meals.
The cooling and refreshing properties of this raita make it an absolute accompaniment to all the spicy food we love to eat.
Just like mango raita, mooli raita or mix fruit raita, this raita is also a fav.
It is an exceptionally quick, easy, and hassle-free recipe which can be prepared by mixing a few readily available ingredients at home.
Summers are the perfect time to relish this delicious side dish to enjoy the amazing health benefits it provides.
Its cooling and refreshing properties are a perfect cooler to beat the heat.
There are multiple variations of kheere ka raita as some people prefer the only cucumber and some prefer a mix of cucumber, onion, tomatoes, pomegranate, and other fruits and vegetables being mixed up with some yogurt and spices.
What is Cucumber Raita?
It is a perfect side dish made up of smooth yogurt mixed with grated cucumber and infused with some spices to compliment all your favorite meals.
Serving Suggestions
This raita goes really well with all sorts of Indian curries like dhansak, tikka masala, saag, korma, jalfrezi, vindaloo, etc.
Biryani and starters like tandoori chicken are the most popular dishes people love to have with this raita.
The cooling properties of the raita help us to beat the spicy heat of our accompanied meals.
Health Benefits
Cucumber raita is a gluten-free, fiber-rich, and a low carb side dish that acts as an aid for digestion and weight loss.
The yogurt that we use to prepare raita has a good amount of iodine, calcium, and phosphorus and also contains live bacterial cultures such as lactobacillus casei which helps in strengthening the immune system of the body.
Moreover, cucumbers are a very good source of vitamin C and caffeic acid, both of which prevent water retention.
How to use it as a Dip?
When you use full-fat strained yogurt to prepare this raita then it gets converted into a cucumber dip and goes really well with some spicy and tangy tandoori chicken bites, stir-fried vegetables and various other starters.
Tzatziki v/s Cucumber Raita
Tzatziki is a dip which originated in Greece and is made up of salted strained yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice and herbs like dill, mint, parsley or thyme whereas cucumber raita is popular throughout India and is generally made from non-strained yogurt mixed with cucumbers, coriander, and mint leaves, flavored with some cumin seed powder and finely chopped green chillies.
Storage Suggestions
This raita will remain absolutely fresh for a good no. of 10-12 hours in a refrigerator.
Do not freeze this raita as the texture of yogurt will change and it will not be good.
How to make it with a Tadka?
To make it with a tadka, heat some oil in a pan (preferably ghee) and add some cumin seeds, mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, and some curry leaves.
Roast them lightly on a medium flame and pour the tadka over the raita after cooling it for some time and your cucumber raita with a tadka will be ready.
You can also add urad dal and chana dal in the tadka for a nice crunch.
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Step by Step Recipe
Whisk yogurt until smooth and creamy.
Add milk and whisk well.
Add cucumber, mint, roasted cumin powder and black salt and mix well.
Refrigerate the raita for a few hours. Serve chilled.
Cucumber Raita Recipe
Cucumber Raita is a creamy side dish made using grated cucumber, yogurt and a few spices. It is a great accompaniment with spicy Indian meals and have many health benefits. Here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Cucumber Peeled and grated.
- 2 tbsp Mint Leaves Chopped
- 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- Black Salt To taste.
- 1 tsp Green Chilli Finely Chopped
- 1 tbsp Coriander Chopped
Instructions
Whisk yogurt until smooth and creamy.
Add milk and whisk well.
Add cucumber, mint, roasted cumin powder and black salt and mix well
Refrigerate the raita for a few hours.
Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
Increase or decrease the amount of chilli as per your taste preference.
Whisk the yogurt using a wire whisk and not any electric blender.
Refrigerate the raita a few hours before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!