Thick and Creamy Cucumber Raita
A thick cucumber raita made with full-fat Greek yoghurt, drained cucumber, roasted cumin, coriander, garlic and lime. It stays creamy and spoonable, with an optional splash of milk when a looser consistency is preferred for biryani, kebabs or curry.
Ingredients
- 200 g cucumber about 1/2 large cucumber
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt divided
- 300 g full-fat Greek yoghurt
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted ground cumin plus extra for garnishing if wanted
- 10 g fresh coriander finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Up to 30ml whole milk optional
- 1 pinch Kashmiri chilli powder for garnishing optional
Instructions
- Peel the cucumber if required, cut it lengthways and scoop out the watery seeds. Finely dice the firm flesh and place it in a sieve over a bowl.
- Sprinkle the cucumber with 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix and leave to drain for 10 minutes. Press with the back of a spoon, or wrap in a clean tea towel and squeeze gently to remove excess moisture.
- Put the Greek yoghurt in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, lime juice, black pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Fold the drained cucumber through the yoghurt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Stir the raita and check the seasoning. For a looser consistency, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the preferred thickness.
- Transfer to a clean serving bowl and garnish with a pinch of Kashmiri chilli powder or roasted cumin if wanted. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- Thick raita should sit on a spoon while remaining easy to spread. - Removing the cucumber seeds and draining the diced flesh prevents excess water from thinning the yoghurt. - Grated cucumber must be squeezed more firmly than diced cucumber. - Add milk only after chilling because the cucumber may release more liquid as it rests. - The garlic flavour becomes stronger during the resting period.
- Do not freeze cucumber raita.
- Do not freeze cucumber raita.
Nutrition
Calories: 71kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 327mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 0.3mg
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