It’s kinda redonkulous how easy this recipe is. We first made it at our cooking course a few months ago.
500 g yogurt
half a cucumber
salt
pepper
ground cuminGrate the cucumber. Drain out most/all the liquid. Mix in with the other ingredients. Serve cold.
See what I mean? That’s it. Dead easy. Here are my ingredient modifications:
250 g Greek-style yogurt
a big cucumber
salt
pepper
ground cumin
pinch (freshly) ground cardamom
pinch of some kind of ground hot red pepper (cayenne, paprika, whatever)
I like it heavier on the cuke flavor and with a bit more zing to it, so I go big on the cumin and the pepper. Be careful with that cardamom — it can take over very easily (and if that’s what you want, rock on). I shredded the cuke with our KitchenAid and then let the shreds drain in a colander for twenty or thirty minutes, squeezing them occasionally.
We usually count on the raita at indian restaurants to cool off a mouth on fire, when we can convince the waiter that we’re not German and can handle a proper vindaloo — which is not every time.