Recipe – Cucumber, Dill & Raisin Raita

Cucumber, Dill & Raisin Raita is simple, quick to make and delicious. Whilst I am not a big fan of dill leaves (shepu in marathi language) and have never tasted in my entire sweet life, surprisingly, I relished this raita to the core. The pungent flavour of the feathery leaves is wrapped with the sweetness of raisins; the coolness of fresh bright cucumber which gives instant energy and makes it so refreshing and healthy. Serve this tasty raita as a perfect compliment along side spicy curries, biryanis, pulao, couscous, parathas or enjoy it plain.

Here, I have used persian cucumbers however, english cucumbers would work fine in this recipe. Soak the raisins in hot water for 4-5 minutes, drain, squeeze out the liquid and add it to the raita. *To make fennel seed powder, dry roast a tablespoon of fennel seeds until fragrant on low heat for 2-3 minutes, cool and grind/pound it into fine powder or coarse as per choice.

Refreshing and delicious raita with the coolness of cucumber, fresh grassy flavour of dill leaves wrapped with the sweetness of raisins and hint of the aromatic fennel seed powder.

total time : 8 mins, cuisine : indian, serves : 2-4, author : gloria

Ingredients

1 cup thick curd/yogurt

2 nos persian cucumbers (peeled/chopped or diced)

5 tbsp fresh dill leaves (chopped)

raisins (handful)

1 serrano/green chilly (chopped finely)

1/8 tsp (2 pinches) fennel powder (roasted)*

pepper powder and salt to taste

Method

Trim both ends and peel the cucumber using a vegetable peeler; cut into bite pieces.

Separate leaves from the steam of the dill leaves and wash thoroughly. Chop it.

Soak raisins for 4-5 mins in hot water. Drain and squeeze out liquid.

Whisk curd/yogurt till smooth in a bowl. Combine cucumber, dill leaves, chilly and raisins. Add fennel powder, pepper powder and salt. Mix everything together.

Garnish and serve this refreshing raita immediately along side a spicy curry.

my observations/notes:

– add salt only while serving

– use fresh ingredients to prepare this raita