CUCUMBER RAITA – EASY INDIAN RAITA RECIPE

Easy Indian Raita made with cucumber, yogurt, herbs and mild spices! I really love to serve my cucumber raita with Aloo Gobi or 30 minutes Chana Masala.

This raita is the ultimate companion to any curry! Here’s how to make the cucumber raitha recipe with Step by Step method.

EASY INDIAN RAITA

We really love serving this Indian Raita with cucumber along with Vegetable Biryani, Paneer Biryani and Chana Masala.

An Indian meal is absolutely incomplete without yogurt. This yogurt condiment aids the cooling factor to balance the heat from the spicy food. Just incase you are looking for raitha recipe for biryani, this is it!!

HOW TO MAKE EASY INDIAN RAITA – CUCUMBER RAITA?

Making Indian Raitha is quick and easy. It is made with basic ingredients like yogurt, cucumber, spice powders and herbs. With just 10 minutes at hand , you can whip up this cooling cucumber yogurt dip.

My simple mantra for preparing traditional Indian Raita is simple. For every 2 cup of yogurt, I would like to add 1 portion of vegetables.

So that’s basically 2:1 ratio for Yogurt to Vegetables. This proportion gives us a nice consistency of yogurt and the added ingredients.

Now, it’s time to add in some simple spices to flavour our yogurt. I like to keep it simple with roasted Cumin Powder and Chilli Powder most of the times. Cumin Powder adds the delicious cooling punch to the yogurt whereas Chilli Powder adds the teeny heat to the raita.

You may also choose to add Chaat Masala if you like (easily available in Grocery stores across UK). But this is completely optional.

Did you know – Cumin Seeds are great for your digestion? Every once in a while, I eat a teaspoon of cumin seeds with a glass of water after the meal.

Season with salt & pepper to your flavour and tip in lots of finely chopped cilantro leaves or mint leaves (optional). Serve Chilled!

For spicier Raita, add finely minced green chilli or minced serrano peppers. ( this is optional. )

You really cannot enjoy Indian food without this delicious cucumber raita.

Two ways to make simple Cucumber Raita

Grate the cucumber, squeeze out the juice and then add it to the yogurt along with spices. Cover and Chill the Cucumber Mint raita in the fridge , until serving. I prefer not to discard the cucumber juice, instead you can use this liquid to dilute the yogurt, if you prefer. This method will yield a Chunky Cucumber Raita recipe.

SECOND METHOD – My favourite way of making this cucumber raita recipe ! Place the diced cucumber, chilled yogurt, cumin powder, herbs like coriander or mint, salt & pepper in a bowl. Stir and and serve. You many as well store it in the refrigerator until it is time for serving.

I really cannot imagine serving spicy Indian dishes without its accompaniments – popadoms, pickle, raita and naan bread.

You may also love to check out OTHER RAITA RECIPES

Plum Raita

Lauki Raita

CUCUMBER YOGURT RAITA

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS OF RAITA?

To prepare Raita, You will need

Yogurt – Plain Yogurt or Greek Yogurt – Both works well. If you are using Greek Yogurt, just dilute it with a little water.

Cucumber – Just Cucumber! But, you can always use a mixture of vegetables too like onion, tomato and cucumber too , if you fancy. Thinly slice the cucumber or use a food processor to dice it too.

Spice Powders – Cumin Powder, Chilli Powder. Some people opt to add chaat masala. But I have chosen to leave it out.

Herbs – I have used coriander leaves/ cilantro leaves. But you can also use mint and cilantro too.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

HOW TO MAKE CUCUMBER RAITA STEP BY STEP

To make quick and easy Cucumber Raita recipe,

1. Place Yogurt in a bowl and whisk until smooth. If you are using Greek yogurt, dilute it with a little water.
2. Add the diced cucumber, cumin powder, chilli powder and salt.
3. Also add finely chopped coriander leaves. Reserve some for garnishing.Stir until completely mixed.
4. Taste and add more seasoning. Serve this side dish chilled with vegetarian recipes.

GLUTEN FREE INDIAN RAITA – FAQ’S & TIPS

Can I use Greek Yogurt for making Raita? 

Greek Yogurt is thick and creamy. Add some water to dilute the consistency and whisk smooth.

What is the difference between raita & tzatziki ?

Tzatziki is a greek yogurt dip made with cucumber, garlic, greek yogurt, herbs like dill, coriander leaves and mint. Cucumber raita is made with cucumber, yogurt, cumin powder, chilli powder and coriander leaves.

Indian Raita has many variations –

You can make Pineapple Raita, Mixed Vegetable Raita, Tomato Raita, Boondi Raita and many more.

How To Make Roasted Cumin Powder / Bhuna Jeera Powder 

In a deep pan, add cumin seeds and roast them at medium heat until till they are golden and aromatic.

Transfer the roasted cumin seeds on a plate and allow them to cool down. Transfer the cooled cumin seeds into a grinder and blend them to a fine powder. You may place this roasted cumin powder masala in an airtight container and store them in room temperature.

How long does Raita last in the fridge?

– Ideally it stays fresh for maximum of 2 days.

YOU WILL ALSO LOVE THESE RECIPES

• Vegan Aloo Gobi ( Potato & Cauliflower Curry )
• Aloo Matar ( Potato & Peas Curry )
• Paneer Peshawari
• Dhaba style Dal Makhani
• Paneer Makhani
• Saag Aloo
• Easy Kerala Egg Curry

HAVE YOU MADE MY EASY CUCUMBER RAITHA DIP ?

Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your take on this summer cooling cucumber raita sauce!

CUCUMBER RAITA RECIPE BELOW

5 from 4 votes

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CUCUMBER RAITA RECIPE

Prep Time

10 mins

 

Cucumber Raita  - Easy Indian Raita prepared with cucumber, yogurt, cumin & coriander leaves.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: cucumber raita, easy indian raita, raita, yogurt side dish

Servings: 4 People

Author: Sandhya Hariharan

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of Plain Full fat Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup of Cucumber finely diced
• 1/2 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
• 1/4- 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Chaat Masala Powder optional
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

1. Place Yogurt in a bowl and whisk it until smooth. If the yogurt is thick in consistency, add 1/4 Cup of water and whisk again to adjust the consistency.

2. Tip in cucumber, spice powders, salt,pepper & coriander leaves and mix until combined.

3. Garnish with more coriander leaves and serve cucumber raita chilled.