Cucumber raita is a tasty Indian condiment, served alongside a variety of dishes. Made of yogurt, it's the perfect accent for spicy food!
We’ve always loved Indian cuisine, and I’ve shared some of my recipes for our favorite Indian dishes here over the past decade or so - Chicken Shahi Korma and Cilantro Chicken being my absolute favorite Indian meals of all time..
Possibly the best part about Indian food is how friendly it can be for dietary restrictions. Naan aside, I can walk into pretty much any Indian restaurant and be able to find something gluten free.
My husband can’t eat most meats, and he’s able to find all kinds of tasty main dishes when we go out. Indian cuisine is full of fabulous vegetarian recipes, after all!
As part of that big pakora binge lately, I made a batch of my cucumber raita recipe.
We like having several dips available - cilantro-mint chutney and tamarind chutney as well - and a bowl of this yogurt-based condiment was a great addition to our spread!
... so I figured it’s time to share my easy raita recipe!
What is Raita?
Raita is a category of side dishes that are generally served alongside spicy Indian dishes.
It’s an Indian yogurt condiment that’s intended to provide a cooling effect to those spicy foods, usually served up in a small bowl alongside your meal.
There are various regional varieties of raita - and other variations of cooling sauce.
You can get onion raita, boondi raita (A yogurt sauce with tiny chickpea dough balls in it), dahi chutney (kind of a halfway point between raita and cilantro chutney).
There’s even vegetable raita, a yogurt sauce made with a variety of vegetables - bell peppers, tomato, etc. Super tasty!
It’s somewhat like Tzatziki Sauce, though thinner and with a slightly different flavour profile.
This recipe works up in about 5 minutes, so it’s a great recipe when you’re looking to add a little something to easy dinners, like spicy kebabs.
Let’s get to it...
Ingredients
This is a simple recipe - you should definitely be able to find all of the ingredients in any grocery store.
I do have some notes for you, though!
Plain Yogurt
Yogurt is the main ingredient here, and is the base of the sauce.
We’ll usually use Greek yogurt, but you can use any unsweetened, unflavored variety. It is a savory yogurt sauce, after all!
In general, I prefer a full-fat yogurt / whole-milk yogurt, as they tend to have a better texture. I find they have a better texture - especially when mixed with the cucumbers - than lower fat varieties, which tend to be a little thinner.
In a pinch, you can substitute sour cream. I won’t tell anyone!
Cucumber
Generally speaking, I tend to use English cucumber for this. You can use field cucumbers for this, but you’ll want to get the seeds out first.
You can peel the skin off before shredding it if you like, we generally don’t bother.
Herbs, Spices, Etc
My raita is a SUPER basic recipe, flavoured with just chopped coriander leaves (fresh cilantro), fresh mint leaves, lime juice, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala, salt, and pepper.
That said, feel free to dress it up if you like!
Sometimes I’ll use Coriander Powder in place of the cumin.
That said, Whole Cumin Seeds are a fun option, and add a bit of crunch.
Sometimes I’ll toss a couple pressed garlic cloves in the mix.
Equipment
All you really need - aside from measuring cups, a bowl, etc - is something to grate the cucumber with.
You don’t need anything fancy, but I’m going to drop a RAVING recommendation for the KitchenAid Gourmet 4-Sided Stainless Steel Box Grater - I got myself one a while back, I’m OBSESSED with it.
It’s sharp and sturdy, and I never had any idea a grater could make SUCH a difference. 10/10, totally believe that everyone should have one!
How to Make Raita
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is a pictorial walk through, with additional tips.
Peel your cucumber if you like, then grate it.
Sometimes I’ll use the large side of the grater for a more chunky textured dip, other times I’ll use the fine grate, for a smoother dip.
Either works!
Squeeze excess moisture from the grated cucumber, place squeezed cucumber in a medium bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to the bowl, stir well to combine.
Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or so.
More Indian Recipes....
Love Indian food? Be sure to check out these other fabulous Indian - and Indian inspired - recipes!
Aloo Pakora
Butter Chicken Recipe
Chicken Pakora
Chicken Shahi Korma Recipe
Cilantro Chicken Recipe
Corn Pakora
Gobi Pakora
Mango Lassi Popsicles Recipe
Mixed Vegetable Pakoras
Mushroom Pakora
Onion Pakora
Palak Pakoda
Paneer Burgers Recipe
Paneer Pakora
Samosa Recipe
Tandoori Spiced Chicken Burger with Mango Recipe
Specialty Diet Versions
Looking for gluten-free and/or low carb Indian recipes*? Here are a few from my other blogs:
Gluten-Free Samosas
Keto Chicken Biryani
Low Carb Butter Chicken
Keto Chicken Korma
Low Carb Shrimp Curry
* Note: A lot of the above recipes are inherently gluten free, so not included in the “specialty diet” section.
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and/or a comment below, and maybe even sharing this post on social media!
Cucumber Raita
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Plain yogurt
- ⅔ cup Shredded cucumber
- ¼ cup finely chopped Cilantro
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped Fresh mint
- Juice of ½ Lime
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine.
- Transfer to an airtight container - or cover with plastic wrap - and chill until use.
- Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or so.
Nutrition
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