At the center of any Indian meal is Rice and a cooling compliment to one's palette with any Indian side dish is Raita to balance out all the spicy flavors.
Quick and Easy Cucumber and Mint Raita
Ingredients:
· 3 mini seedless cucumbers
· ¼ cup of chopped mint
· 1 large shallot thinly sliced
· 1 green chili finely chopped
· 2 Tbsp of chopped cilantro
· 1 ½ tsp salt
· 1 tsp ground black pepper
· 1 tsp za’atar (Mediterranean spice blend)
· 2 cups of full fat plain yogurt
· 1 cup of water
· Extra mint or cucumber slices (optional for garnish)
Recipe:
Combine plain yogurt and water in a bowl and whisk until it becomes a smooth and uniform liquid. Add less water for thicker consistency.
Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and gently stir all the ingredients together.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cold. Mix again when ready to serve. Garnish with extra mint or cucumber slices, and serve it alongside rice, biryani, curries, veggies, or as a dipper sauce. The possibilities are endless!
How to Cook Rice:
Serves approximately 4
Method 1:
1. In a deep pot, drizzle 2-3 tsp of olive oil and add 2 cups of long grain rice; Ponni rice or Sona Masoori Rice from the Indian grocery store can be used as well.
2. Add water to the pot so that it covers the rice. The water level should be at least halfway up from the bottom of the pot. Do not overfill. Mix gently and cook the rice.
3. Cook the rice for approximately 20-30 minutes on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally so that rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The oil added will help with this.
4. Test the rice for desired tenderness with a fork. Add more water, ½ cup at a time, if rice is not fully cooked through and water level remains low.
5. Once cooked, drain the rice through a colander in the sink and serve alongside savory Indian side dishes.
Method 2:
1. In a nonstick pot, drizzle 2-3 tsp of olive oil and add 2 cups of Basmati rice.
2. Add 4 ¼ cups of water to the pot.
3. Bring the water to a boil on medium heat. Cover the pot once it comes to a boil.
4. Lower the heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes. The water should be absorbed.
5. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Take the pot off the heat and replace the lid onto the pot until ready to serve alongside savory Indian side dishes.
Enjoy!!
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