This Quick Mint & Cucumber Raita is fresh, cooling and takes just a few minutes to make. It’s the perfect side for curries, Chicken Biryani Bake, tandoori chicken and other spicy dishes when you want something creamy and refreshing to balance the heat.
We originally included this simple raita as a serving tip with the Chicken Biryani Bake in SkinnyAsia 2, but it’s too handy not to have as a recipe of its own!
Made with Greek yoghurt, fresh cucumber, mint, lemon and cumin, there’s no cooking required. Just mix everything together and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
What is raita?
Raita is a yoghurt-based side dish commonly served with Indian food. There are plenty of variations, but cucumber and mint is a classic combination. The cool yoghurt and cucumber are particularly good alongside spicy curries, grilled meats and biryani.
What to serve with Cucumber Raita
Of course, our first picks are the Chicken Biryani Bake and Roast Tandoori Chicken from SkinnyAsia 2! But this easy raita is also delicious served with curries, biryani, kebabs, grilled chicken or lamb, or alongside roti and naan.
It also makes a great cooling dipping sauce if you’ve accidentally been a little enthusiastic with the chilli. 🌶️
Tips for the best raita
Squeeze as much excess liquid as possible from the cucumber before adding it to the yoghurt. This helps keep the raita thick and creamy rather than watery.
For the best flavour, make it a little ahead of time and refrigerate until serving. This gives the mint, cumin and lemon time to mingle with the yoghurt.
This raita was created to serve with the Chicken Biryani Bake from SkinnyAsia 2. Get the cookbook here.
Ingredients
- 1 small handful fresh mint - chopped
- 1 small cucumber - deseeded, finely chopped, squeezed of excess liquid
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp salt - heaped
Instructions
- In a bowl combine ingredients. Set aside in the fridge.