Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base Elements
- 200 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 150 g cucumber, unpeeled if skin is thin
Aromatics and Spices
- 5 g green chili pepper, finely minced
- 5 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 g roasted cumin powder
- 2 g salt
- 1 g kashmiri chili powder
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 39 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 226 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 157 mg
- Calcium
- 72 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 60 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 45 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 81 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Grate the cucumber using the large holes of a box grater onto a clean cutting board or plate.
Gather the grated cucumber in your hands or a cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to drain out as much excess liquid as possible. Discard the liquid.
Place the plain whole milk yogurt into a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until it reaches a smooth, velvety consistency without any lumps.
Add the drained cucumber, minced green chili, chopped cilantro, roasted cumin powder, and salt to the whisked yogurt. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, garnish with a light dusting of Kashmiri chili powder, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes
- Always use whole milk yogurt for the creamiest texture; low-fat versions often contain stabilizers that give a chalky mouthfeel.
- Toasting whole cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and grinding them fresh elevates the raita from good to restaurant-quality.
- If your green chilies are extremely hot, rubbing your hands with a little cooking oil before mincing them can prevent the capsaicin from burning your skin.
- Leaving the skin on English or Persian cucumbers adds a beautiful pop of bright green color and extra texture, provided the skin is not too thick or bitter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Cucumber will release water over time; stir well before serving.
Troubleshooting
Raita is too watery and thin
Cause: Excess moisture was not properly squeezed from the cucumber before adding it to the yogurt
Fix: Stir in an additional spoonful of thick Greek yogurt or strain the mixture briefly through a fine mesh sieve
Prevention: Always squeeze the grated cucumber firmly over a sink to drain before mixing
Raita is overly tart or sour
Cause: The yogurt used was past its prime or naturally very acidic
Fix: Stir in a tiny pinch of white sugar (about 1 to 2 grams) to balance the acidity
Prevention: Taste your yogurt before mixing to check the acidity level
Cultural Context
Raita is an essential cooling component of Indian cuisine, designed to extinguish the fire of highly spiced curries, biryanis, and kebabs. By utilizing the Ayurvedic principle of food pairing, the cooling properties of yogurt and cucumber directly counteract the heating elements of fiery chilies and complex spice blends.
