This cucumber and lime raita is a refreshing addition to any meal. With cucumber, lime, fresh coriander and homemade yogurt, it is a perfect cooling recipe for summers. You can serve it as a side with an Indian dinner, a sauce with rice casseroles or a dip with some nachos.
Raita is the hindi word for a yogurt dip. It can be as simple as plain yogurt spiced with a pinch of salt or different flavours can be added to yogurt like cucumber, mint, onions or tomatoes to make yogurt dips to go with a variety of Indian recipes. I made this cucumber and lime yogurt dip as an accompaniment for a dinner spread last week.
Shop bought yogurt often has a lot of sugar and preservatives. And when making yogurt at home is so easy, I keep buying yogurt only for emergencies. It actually is very comforting for me to know that there is a bowl of thick homemade yogurt in the refrigerator. As a raita, yogurt can easily take the place of a main dish. I know that if there isn’t much time for cooking, I can quickly whip up a vegetable raita to serve with some easy pilaf or paratha for a complete meal.
Cucumber and Lime Raita
Ingredients (1cup = 240ml; 1tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml)
- 500 gms Yogurt preferably homemade with full fat milk
- 1 medium Cucumber
- 1 Lime
- 2-3 sprigs of Fresh coriander leaves , chopped
- Salt to taste
- Red pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel, deseed and coarsely grate the cucumber. I don’t like throwing away the seeds of the cucumber, so I just ate them all while preparing the raita.
- In a bowl, lightly whisk the yogurt to smooth. Add the grated cucumber, coriander leaves and zest of lime along with its juice.
- Mix well and season with salt and red pepper. Cover and keep in refrigerator if not serving immediately. Can be prepared 2-3 hours before serving.
Notes
There is so much that one can do with yogurt! Make a dip, add it to smoothies, to curries, use it in kneading dough and many more. What is your favourite yogurt recipe? You have to try this cucumber and lime raita recipe. It is cool, refreshing and very soothing.
Send me a picture, leave a comment or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and/or Instagram. Would love to start a conversation, share recipes, cooking experiences and food stories from India and around the world.
[…] The Tahini and Yogurt dressing used for this eggplant salad was a delicious surprise for most. It comes from Middle Eastern cuisine and is common to many Arabic dishes apart from salads. It is also a good marinade. During the session, most participants felt the dressing would pair well with many Indian dishes as well. Like with paranthas or biryani where we typically serve a raita. […]