A refreshing, cooling Indian curd side dish made with fresh dahi, crisp cucumber, deseeded tomatoes, and roasted cumin powder.
- 1.5 cups fresh plain curd dahi / yogurt, chilled
- 1 cup cucumber finely diced (about 1 medium cucumber)
- ½ cup tomato deseeded and finely diced (about 1 medium firm tomato)
- 1 small green chilli minced (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped (optional)
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder bhuna jeera
- ¼ tsp black salt kala namak
- ¼ tsp regular table salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp chaat masala
- 1 pinch Kashmiri red chilli powder for garnish
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Whisk Curd: In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the chilled curd with a fork or balloon whisk for 30–45 seconds until completely smooth and lump-free.
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Prep Veggies: Dice the cucumber into small ¼-inch pieces. Cut the tomato, scoop out and discard the watery seed pulp, and finely dice the firm flesh.
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Combine: Add the diced cucumber, deseeded tomato, minced green chilli, coriander, and mint into the whisked curd. Fold gently with a spoon.
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Season: Add the roasted cumin powder, black salt, regular salt, and chaat masala. Stir gently until spices are evenly distributed.
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Garnish & Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl. Dust lightly with a pinch of roasted cumin powder and Kashmiri chilli powder. Serve immediately with biryani, pulao, or stuffed parathas.
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Prevent Watery Raita: Always remove the wet seed cavities from tomatoes before dicing. If preparing ahead, fold in the salt only right before serving.
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Curd Consistency: Never run curd through a blender; hand whisking preserves body. If homemade curd has excess whey, strain for 10 minutes prior to whisking.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Best consumed within 2–4 hours. Do not freeze.