Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dairy
- 250 g plain whole milk yoghurt, chilled
Produce
- 150 g cucumber, unpeeled
- 5 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Spices & Seasoning
- 2 g roasted cumin powder
- 2 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 46 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 225 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 8 mg
- Potassium
- 167 mg
- Calcium
- 89 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 72 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 8 mcg
- Water
- 92 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Grate the unpeeled cucumber on the coarse holes of a box grater.
Gather the grated cucumber in your hands or place it in a fine mesh sieve, and firmly squeeze out the excess water to prevent the raita from becoming too thin.
Place the chilled plain yoghurt in a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until it is entirely smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Add the drained cucumber, chopped fresh mint, roasted cumin powder, and salt to the smooth yoghurt. Fold gently until all ingredients are evenly dispersed.
Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This resting period allows the earthy cumin and bright mint oils to infuse into the yoghurt.
Chef's Notes
- Always opt for whole milk yoghurt. The fat content is crucial for coating the palate and neutralizing the capsaicin heat from spicy dishes.
- Roasting whole cumin seeds in a dry pan before grinding them elevates the earthy, smoky flavor profile immensely compared to standard pre-ground cumin.
- For an incredibly authentic savory depth, substitute half of the regular salt with kala namak, also known as Indian black salt.
- If you want a slight kick, add half a finely minced green chili along with the mint.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — May become watery as the cucumber releases more moisture. Stir well before serving leftovers.
Troubleshooting
The raita is extremely watery and soupy
Cause: The grated cucumber was not squeezed thoroughly enough, or the yoghurt used was too thin
Fix: Stir in a few spoonfuls of thick Greek yoghurt to bind the excess moisture
Prevention: Always aggressively squeeze the cucumber to extract its water before adding it to dairy
The raita lacks depth of flavor
Cause: Raw cumin powder was used instead of roasted cumin powder
Fix: Toast an additional pinch of cumin powder in a dry pan, let it cool, and stir it in
Prevention: Use pre-roasted cumin powder, or briefly toast ground cumin in a dry pan until fragrant before using
Cultural Context
Raita is a foundational condiment across the Indian subcontinent. It is scientifically designed to cool the palate during a highly spiced meal, as the casein in dairy binds to and washes away capsaicin from chilies. Its cooling properties are deeply rooted in ancient Ayurvedic culinary traditions.
