Cucumber Raita

The most refreshing way to polish off leftovers

Iv been through a series of days spent all alone, ensconced within the cosy walls of my home, with the husband working ludicrously long hours. One never knows if he is going to have the time to eat his meals at home like he used to until a few weeks ago. Therefore, it often happens that I cook for the two of us, but end up eating my meals alone, and carrying leftovers forward and finishing them off the next day.

It was no different with the pulao I made yesterday. I was all alone in basking in the joy of finally getting it right and also proceeding to methodically finish it over the next meal too. Except, the second time round, I decided to make a raita to go with it. Here's how.

What I used
Main ingredients:
1 small cucumber (since it was just me)
1 small cup of curd
A dash of milk

Seasoning:
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chaat masala
Red chilli powder
Jeera powder
Sugar
Juice of 1/4 lime

How I made it
First, I chopped up the cucumber. Its also nice to grate it in, but i prefer the crunch of the cucumber.



I beat the curd up well. I like my raita to be neither too thick nor too runny, so I usually add a dash of milk just to loosen it out a bit. This is of course left to your discretion. The milk also cuts the overly tangy edge that curd can sometimes have, giving it a more creamy taste.



Next, I added in the seasoning in one by one. First the salt and pepper, followed by a tiny bit of sugar. Then the red chilli powder, chaat masala and a dash of jeera powder.


When the seasoning is all stirred in, I then added a squeeze of lime juice. Lastly, I added the chopped cucumber and serve with pulao.



Done!

This raita was so refreshing and cooling, I could eat it as a meal just by itself. I also make the raita sometimes using cucumbers+tomatoes+onions, or boondi, or grated cucumber+thinly sliced onions. It works with pretty much anything you think is raita-worthy...so feel free to innovate!