"Cold Cucumber-Mint Raita (Salad)" ... A delicious calorie free curd based mint flavored salad with the goodness of fresh cucumber/kakdi and mint/pudina that are always available round the year ... tastes awesome when served with spicy biryani, pulav or any other rice dishes etc. and is good for health too ... Yumz ...
** Raitas are a must accompaniment in my home with spicy rice dishes like Biryani or Pulavs. We love having spicy rice dishes with raita rather than curries. My hubby loves raita with roti too. The curd based salad goes very well with many a dishes and is a common dish in my home during summer time. Here is a simple raita prepared using only cucumbers that are always available in plenty during all season ie throughout the year and in Mumbai, it is available in 2-3 varieties. Coriander and pudina are also available all round the year but more so during winter, so for today I prepared a minty flavored raita to serve with mint flavored pulav and it tasted awesome. The spice level in the raita can be increased or decreased as per individual taste as I have added on green chillies while grinding the paste along with ginger and garlic. Again, you can add in chopped onions to the curds too and it will taste great, I however have not added them on this time.
** All ingredients used in this ratia recipe are freely available in our kitchen. You can use either fresh full fat curds or skimmed milk curds and the choice is yours. I always prepare curds in bulk and store in fridge, so that I can prepare raita, curd rice or other curd dishes without having to worry to go to store to buy the same. I have hardly bought store curds except when I come back from holidays and I need them as culture for preparing curds again. I have already written in my blog about the preparation method of curds. You may check on the same. I will provide the link at the bottom of this recipe. Do include curds in any form in your daily diet as they are very good for health and for the stomach. Remember to always serve raita fresh as once the beaten curd is added to the cut vegetables it tends to turn sour. So, it should be mixed, tempered and served within an hour at maximum period, and the salt also should be added just before serving.
** Here is my method of preparing "Cold Cucumber-Mint Raita (Salad)" … My Style ….
** Wash, wipe and scrap off the skin portion of the cucumber (khakdi) and cut them into ½ inch cube sizes and put them in a bowl. I have used about 3 medium sized cucumbers.
** To be Ground into fine paste : In a mixer grinder add in one cup of fresh skimmed milk curds (dahi), 2-3 green chillies (hirvi mirchi) chopped, 2-3 gralic (losun) finely chopped, ½ inch piece of ginger (adrak) finely chopped along with half cup of freshly coriander leaves (dhania) picked and cleaned. Also add in ¼ cup of fresh mint (pudina) leaves only and grind to a smooth paste.
** Remove and add the ground paste to the cucumber in the bowl and mix well. Add in kala namak / salt to taste and mix well.
** For Tempering / Seasoning : Heat 1 tblsp of coconut oil (Optional, any oil will do) in a small pan. When hot, lower the heat and add in ½ tsp of urad dal (black gram split), when the colour changes slightly add in 1 tsp of jeera (cumin) seeds, ½ tsp mustard (rai/sasam) seeds and fry till mustard splutter. Now add in a pinch of hing/asafoetida powder and 6-8 curry leaves (kadipatta/karbev), fry for a few seconds and pour over the raita in the bowl.
** "Cold Cucumber-Mint Raita (Salad)" is done and ready to be served. Serve the raita immediately as an accompaniment along with any dish of your choice. If at all you have prepared this before hand, do put it in the fridge to avoid the dish going sour, an hour or two does not make much difference though freshly prepared is always better. Enjoy the raita with any spicy rice dishes of your choice. It tastes awesome.
** Note : If you are short of time and want to prepare this salad for guests before time you can do so by following the steps given below which is simple and effective for a good Raita / Salad :
** Firstly chop the cucumber, add it into a bowl and season/temper the same. Keep this covered in fridge till serving time.
** Secondly prepare fresh curds and keep it also in the fridge separately. Grind the mentioned paste above without curds but with little bit of water to a fine paste and put this also in the fridge separately.
** Just before serving time, remove all from the fridge and assemble together, ie add the curds and ground paste to the cucumber pieces tempered and kept. Add in kala namak or salt to taste and mix all well and the raita is ready to be served.
** Do try out various types of “Raitas / Salad” from the Blog and enjoy with your family and friends. I am sharing a common link to the same below, through which you will get the whole list of raitas and salads posted here, do check it out.
** For the Method of preparation of "Prefect Setting of Curds", Please follow the link given below …..
** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of different types in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it or have a query, please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Do try out various types of dishes included in the Blog and Enjoy them with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible.
** I am happy to inform you that I have also started a food group for by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" which is over and year old, with about 19K strong members. It is a pleasure to inform that you will find in the group many more recipes posted by our expert members and you too can share some of your own. The link to the group is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring" … Thank You ….
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks.