Cucumber Raita - Cucumber recipe

Cool Cucumber salad with yogurt

Cucumber Raita is a cool cucumber salad dish with yogurt(curds) that is served with a variety of Indian rice or chapati/roti bread. Not only it is a very healthy recipe, but it is easy and simple and quick recipe too. You can use Homemade Yogurt.

In Indian languages Cucumber is known as Kheera/kakdi(Hindi), kakdi(Marathi), savatekai(Kannada).

In the hot summer months, cucumber is a popular vegetable/fruit to keep you cool.

When you add yogurt to it, that becomes still cooler. When you have it after or with a hot Curry, it will make you feel cool. That way you can enjoy your hot curry and not feel the burning too. Just try it.

Use only fresh yogurt for this raita. It should not be sour otherwise raitha will be sour too.

How to Make Cucumber Raita

Ingredients for Cucumber Raita

Cucumber - Kakdi - Kheera

yogurt - curd - dahi

Ingredients for Cucumber raitha for 2-3 servings

Cucumber - 1 cup chopped finely
Curds (plain yogurt) - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Coriander (Cilantro) leaves - 1 tbsp chopped

For Seasoning/tempering/tadka

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Green chili (optional) - 1 slit in half.

Step by step instructions for making cucumber raitha

Prepare Seasoning

Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add the slit chili, pinch of asafetida.
Fry for a few seconds. Take the pan off the flame
Cool a little and then add to the mixed raita.

Mixing raita

Mix together chopped cucumber, cilantro leaves, salt, sugar, curds.
Add the prepared seasoning and mix well.
Cool if you wish and serve with rice or bread.

Tips and variations

Add 1 tbsp fresh grated coconut to this raita if you wish
You can add black pepper powder along with or instead of green chili according to your taste.
The plain yogurt /curds should be fresh and sweet. Make sure it is not sour.
Add 1 tbsp fresh grated coconut to this raita if you wish.
Keep the raitha in the fridge if you are planning to serve it later. If left outside, it can get sour.
Add finely chopped onion if you with.
Raita tastes wonderful with all the rice and roti dishes.
Have a bowl of cucumber raitha as a snack.