Albar's Cucumber Raita

Name: Cucumber Raita
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 16 oz full-fat yogurt; 4 mini cucumbers (peeled and roughly sliced); Handful of mint leaves; Handful of cilantro; 1/2 green chili; 1/2 tsp cumin powder; Juice of 1 lime; Salt and black pepper to taste

August 7, 2019 by Maryam Jillani 9 Comments

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Now that America is finally catching on to the magic of savory yogurt, I feel the recipe for Albar’s cucumber raita merits its own page. Variations of savory yogurt are found in many parts of the world. For instance, I really enjoyed reading about Turkish hot yogurt soup in this great piece on TASTE a couple of years ago. In South Asia, we have savory yogurt in drinks (salty ‘lassi’) or raita. Raita can take many forms - here Priya Krishna outlines how you can build your own raita while incorporating its key elements. Raita is a key feature of South Asian cuisine because it serves as a cool complement to spicy food. In the case of BBQ or here, biryani, it acts as a condiment, adding moisture to an otherwise dry dish. This great recipe for cucumber raita was initially folded in my friend’s chicken biryani recipe but given that it pairs well with so many other rice dishes, it was time to give its own page. Cucumber and yogurt are a natural match. The lime juice and green chilies provide some brightness, and the cumin powder some gravitas. Pair it with biryani, pulao as well as BBQ such as chicken tikka or kebabs. Enjoy x

Cucumber Raita

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Course Side Dish

Servings 4

Ingredients

16 oz full-fat yogurt
4 mini cucumbers peeled and roughly sliced
Handful of mint leaves
Handful of cilantro
½ green chili
½ teaspoon cumin powder
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Whisk the yogurt to make it an even consistency.
Toss the sliced cucumbers, cilantro, mint leaves and half a green chili into a food processor and pulse till they are finely ground.
Fold the chopped greens, cumin powder, lime juice, salt and pepper into the yogurt. Mix well.

More Condiments

Comments

Mehwish Anwar says

July 24, 2020 at 11:33 am

Very tasty and delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Rabia says

May 06, 2021 at 4:38 pm

Yummy

Reply
- Kirthana says
  
  July 21, 2025 at 5:47 am
  
  Super tasty recipe, Thank you so much for sharing! 🌻
  
  Reply

Trackbacks

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April 3, 2020 at 5:40 am

[…] club in Juarez, Mexico, I prepared Sumayya Usmani’s version to serve alongside chicken tikka and raita. The version I share here is an adaptation from my Islamabadi home cook, Shahnzaz’s recipe. If […]

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February 23, 2022 at 2:27 am

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February 23, 2022 at 2:40 am

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[…] enjoy gobi gosht with roti and and a cooling side such as raita or this simple fried […]

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December 11, 2022 at 7:12 am

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Mommy's Mutton Pulao (Yakhni Pulao) - Every Info says:

December 11, 2022 at 7:16 am

[…] Raita: Once more, you’ve gotten choices! My grandmother would usually serve eggplant with yogurt (dahi baingan) however if you’re searching for one thing faster, do this cucumber raita. […]

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