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Kumaoni kheere ka raita
Cucumber raita
कुमाऊँनी खीरे का रायता: big hill cucumber in curd with yellow mustard paste and turmeric, sharp and bright
This yellow raita is the famous one of Kumaon, made from the fat, pale hill cucumbers of late summer and served at every wedding and Holi gathering. It gets its nose-tingling kick from freshly ground raw mustard seed, which is left to mellow in the curd for an hour, and its sunny colour from turmeric. It is eaten with rice, puris and pakodas. The common mistake is not squeezing the grated cucumber, which floods the raita and dulls the mustard. Chef's tip: make it at least an hour ahead and chill it; the mustard grows sharper and rounder as it rests.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the raita
- 1 ⅛ lb large cucumberpeeled, seeded and grated
- 2 tsp yellow mustard seedsfinely ground
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Squeeze 1 ⅛ lb large cucumber firmly in your hands, a handful at a time, until most of the juice is out.
4 minStep 2: Whisk 14 oz thick plain yoghurt (curd) until smooth.
1 minStep 3: Grind 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds with a spoonful of water in a mortar to a paste; it should smell sharp.
3 minStep 4: Mix the mustard paste, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 green chilli and 1 tsp salt into the curd, then fold in the cucumber.
2 minStep 5: Scatter 2 tbsp fresh coriander, cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kumaoni kheere ka raita take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of large cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
- What can I use instead of thick plain yoghurt (curd)?
- Greek yoghurt loosened with a little milk.
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