Thanda Thanda...Cool Cool Raita
The summer's in India are getting worse every year. Airconditioning is no more a luxury and most of us look forward to opportunities for visiting the air conditioned malls.
At home, glugging down juices made from lime, fresh fruits or concentrates is an hourly activity. Eating has taken a back seat. A cold yoghurt / dahi based raita is a perfect accompaniment and a delightful eat all by itself too. A traditional raita can be made with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers - all chopped finely and added to the yoghurt / dahi along with a pinch of salt, sugar (optional) and chopped green chillies (optional) - and tastes better when the yoghurt/ dahi is watered down a bit. This raita is usually an accompaniment for rice based dishes like pulao's and biryani's. Then there are the boondi (fried bengal gram flour based snack) raita's and the aaloo (potato) raita's and the sweeter version of a pineapple raita too.
All in all, a raita is sumptuous (because it is yoghurt - protein based), cooling and a perfect accompaniment / side dish.
Here is a receipe for a Palak (spinach) Raita - but an instant version. For a palak raita you can also use 2 tsp of blanched palak/ spinach. However, the following is slightly more easy.
Ingredients (serves 2):
6 to 8 leaves of palak / spinach
Plain yoghurt / dahi - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Cumin powder 1 /2 tsp
Red chilli powder (optional) - we don't use it
Water - 1 tbsp +
Oil - 1 cup - for frying
Method:
Wash the palak / spinach well and dry it on a paper towel / kitchen towel. Once dry, then slice the palak / spinach into thin strands. You may want to sprinkle some refined flour / maida and cornflour on the strands.** Spinach / palak has salts of its own so no need to add any salt.
Heat the oil and then simply drop the strands in a big handful into the wok / kadai of oil. Be careful since even a little water in the spinach will sizzle and the oil spurts might land on your face. Give it a few seconds and when you see that the strands have changed colour to a deep dark green (usually takes less than 15 seconds) - remove the palak / spinach from the oil and spread on a tissue paper.
In a bowl take the yoghurt/ curd, beat it well, add the water to get a batter / raita consistency. Add salt, cumin powder, the optional chilli powder and mix well. Then crunch up the spinach/ palak and add to the yoghurt / dahi mixture. Mix and serve as a dip or accompaniment or side dish.
Today, we had puri's (deep fried whole wheat bread) with spinach / palak raita and some pickles for breakfast. Happy to mention that kiddo asked for second servings.
** The dusted palak/ spinach strands (dusted with refined flour and cornflour) can be deep fried, sprinkle a little sesame seeds (white Til) and enjoy as a green side with paneer tikka's or baked chicken. You can keep the palak / spinach whole instead of slicing and fry it similarly and enjoy an entire dish of "crunchy spinach" too.
At home, glugging down juices made from lime, fresh fruits or concentrates is an hourly activity. Eating has taken a back seat. A cold yoghurt / dahi based raita is a perfect accompaniment and a delightful eat all by itself too. A traditional raita can be made with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers - all chopped finely and added to the yoghurt / dahi along with a pinch of salt, sugar (optional) and chopped green chillies (optional) - and tastes better when the yoghurt/ dahi is watered down a bit. This raita is usually an accompaniment for rice based dishes like pulao's and biryani's. Then there are the boondi (fried bengal gram flour based snack) raita's and the aaloo (potato) raita's and the sweeter version of a pineapple raita too.
All in all, a raita is sumptuous (because it is yoghurt - protein based), cooling and a perfect accompaniment / side dish.
Here is a receipe for a Palak (spinach) Raita - but an instant version. For a palak raita you can also use 2 tsp of blanched palak/ spinach. However, the following is slightly more easy.
Ingredients (serves 2):
6 to 8 leaves of palak / spinach
Plain yoghurt / dahi - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Cumin powder 1 /2 tsp
Red chilli powder (optional) - we don't use it
Water - 1 tbsp +
Oil - 1 cup - for frying
Method:
Wash the palak / spinach well and dry it on a paper towel / kitchen towel. Once dry, then slice the palak / spinach into thin strands. You may want to sprinkle some refined flour / maida and cornflour on the strands.** Spinach / palak has salts of its own so no need to add any salt.
Heat the oil and then simply drop the strands in a big handful into the wok / kadai of oil. Be careful since even a little water in the spinach will sizzle and the oil spurts might land on your face. Give it a few seconds and when you see that the strands have changed colour to a deep dark green (usually takes less than 15 seconds) - remove the palak / spinach from the oil and spread on a tissue paper.
In a bowl take the yoghurt/ curd, beat it well, add the water to get a batter / raita consistency. Add salt, cumin powder, the optional chilli powder and mix well. Then crunch up the spinach/ palak and add to the yoghurt / dahi mixture. Mix and serve as a dip or accompaniment or side dish.
Today, we had puri's (deep fried whole wheat bread) with spinach / palak raita and some pickles for breakfast. Happy to mention that kiddo asked for second servings.
** The dusted palak/ spinach strands (dusted with refined flour and cornflour) can be deep fried, sprinkle a little sesame seeds (white Til) and enjoy as a green side with paneer tikka's or baked chicken. You can keep the palak / spinach whole instead of slicing and fry it similarly and enjoy an entire dish of "crunchy spinach" too.
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