CUCUMBER RAITA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup plain yogurt 
• ½ medium cucumber
• ½ inch fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt 
• handful fresh cilantro or mint

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel the cucmber and slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the cucumber on a large cheese grater and place into a colander. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
2. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it (using a fine cheese grater) into the bowl.
3. After the cucumber has been sitting for at least ten minutes, press it into the sides of the colander to extract as much moisture as possible. Add it to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate to allow the flavors to combine. Adjust salt as needed.

NOTES

This sauce should keep in the refrigerator for approximately 5 days.

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Begin with the cucumber. Peel the half that you’ll be using, slice it in half lengthwise, and then scrape out the seeds with a spoon.

Grate the cucumber into a colander using a cheese grater. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit. The salt will help draw out the juices so that they don’t make your sauce watery.

Place the yogurt in a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, and salt. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl as well. Stir to combine

Take a handful of cilantro (or mint) leaves and roughly chop them.

After the cucumber has been sitting in the colander for about ten minutes, press it against the sides to extract as much water as possible. Add it to the yogurt sauce along with the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.

Taste the sauce and add more salt if desired. I didn’t want a lot of salt in this sauce because I liked it’s light, fresh flavor. You can eat the sauce as is or refrigerate it to allow the flavors to mingle.