Ingredients:

  • 16 oz (450 g) full-fat Greek or natural yogurt, chilled
  • 1 large (200 g) English/Hothouse Cucumber
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or Kala Namak/Black Salt)
  • 1/4 tsp granulated sugar or honey (optional)
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper or Kashmiri Chilli Powder (for garnish, optional)

Instructions:

  1. Grate the cucumber using the coarse side of a box grater. Place the grated cucumber into a fine-mesh sieve or a piece of clean muslin cloth.
  2. Squeeze the cucumber firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. This is a crucial step to prevent the raita from becoming watery. Set the squeezed cucumber aside.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cold yogurt. Whisk briefly until it is completely smooth and creamy, ensuring there are no lumps.
  4. Add the roasted cumin powder, salt (or Kala Namak), and the pinch of sugar/honey to the yogurt. Whisk gently until the spices are evenly distributed.
  5. Gently fold the drained, grated cucumber and the chopped fresh mint into the seasoned yogurt base. Taste the raita and adjust salt if needed.
  6. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. This chilling period allows the mint and spices to infuse and marry with the yogurt, deepening the flavor profile.
  7. Just before serving, give the raita a final stir. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a dusting of cayenne pepper or a sprig of fresh mint.