Easy Cucumber Raita (15 Minutes!)

Name: Easy Cucumber Raita (15 Minutes!)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt; 1/4 cup whole milk (2 oz) (depending on desired consistency); ¼ tsp table salt or sea salt (or more to taste); 1/4-1/2 tsp cumin powder (roasted or regular); 1/8-1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/8 tsp red chili powder or red chili flakes; 1 small Persian cucumber or quarter large (ends trimmed, peeled, and finely diced); ¼ cup red or yellow onion (finely diced); 1/2 small tomato (finely diced); 2 tbsp fresh mint or cilantro leaves (or a combination of the two) (finely chopped ); 1/8 tsp chaat masala; 1 thai chili or serrano pepper (finely chopped); 1/2 carrot (See Note) (finely chopped); 2-3 radishes (See Note) (finely chopped)

posted by Izzah Cheema on June 20, 2019 (updated July 12, 2023)

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5 (11 ratings)

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Learn how to make cucumber raita with this easy and authentic recipe! Raita is a classic yogurt salad that completes many Pakistani and Indian meals. I’ve included my family’s trick for avoiding the cucumber’s bitterness, and optional add-ins to give you an idea of the endless possibilities with raita.

“Thanks for the quick and simple Raita recipe. It went well with the Instant Pot Chicken Pulao recipe of yours that I made.”
Talha

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What is Cucumber Raita?

Raita is South Asian-style whisked yogurt often made with spices and vegetables such as cucumbers, onion. It is versatile and serves as perfect accompaniment to many South Asian dishes such as biryani, pulao, and vegetarian curries (especially dry ones like this Mixed Vegetable Curry).

Raita harmoniously balances a meal: yogurt for cool and creamy acidity, vegetables for crunch and texture, and herbs for vibrance and freshness.

Though restaurants will often serve this blended Mint Cilantro Raita (also called Dahi Chutney), this Cucumber Raita is most commonly served in many South Asian homes.

P.S. Prefer something like Cucumber Raita sans yogurt? Try Kachumber Salad.

Yogurt Mixed with spices for cucumber raita

A Key Tip for Using Cucumber in Raita

I remember when I first saw my husband chop a cucumber. He cut off about half an inch from the stem and rubbed both parts against each other. He explained that he does it because his mom did it, and he’s not sure how it works but it’s supposed to remove bitterness.

I thought it was a typical ‘grandma’s pot roast’ scenario. When you call mom to ask why she always cuts the ends off the pot roast and she says because that’s the way grandma did it. You ask grandma only to find out she cut it off to fit it in her oven.

But then I came to find out Julie Sahni in Classic Indian Cooking recommends the same trick – rub the stem end against the cucumber until a white film starts to build. Epicurious echoes this, explaining how cucurbitacins (a bitter compound) accumulate at the peels and ends. They suggest you cut off the ends before peeling it to avoid spreading the bitterness.

If you’re able to find young Persian cucumbers, you likely won’t have the bitterness problem. But if you do, now you know how to remove it. It wasn’t just a weird thing my in-laws did after all.

How to make Cucumber Raita

To make this raita:

First you’ll whisk together the yogurt, milk, salt & spice powders.

Holding yogurt with spices in a grey bowl

Then stir in the chopped vegetables and herbs. Taste and adjust!

Cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro in a grey bowl for cucumber raita

Tips & FAQs

I remember googling how to make raita many years ago when I would always eyeball the salt and it would always be too much. So exactly how much salt do you need? And how many vegetables? Should the cucumber be peeled or unpeeled? I had questions. Here are some answers:

How much salt should you add?

I like to keep the salt subtle. Start with 1/4 tsp sea salt or table salt per cup of yogurt, then add up to 1/8 tsp more, if desired.

What type of yogurt should you use?

I always use plain, whole milk yogurt. I wouldn’t recommend using greek, but if you do, you’d need to increase the milk to make it thinner for a raita-like consistency.

Should you peel the cucumber skin?

If you aren’t using organic cucumbers, I’d suggest peeling it due to pesticide residue. Also peel if the skin is waxy or bitter, or if you just prefer it that way.

How many vegetables should you add?

Of course, this is a preference, but I found each of my vegetables to measure in between 1/4 and 1/3 cup. If using more vegetables, use less of each.

Here are some recipes that you can pair with raita:

Cucumber Raita in a bowl with a wooden spoon and cilantro sprinkled on top

Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!

5 (11 ratings)