A Delicious Cucumber & Tomato Raita, With a Simple Twist, Step Wise

 

Hi All!

I had promised myself that I’ll blog more regularly, I mean 2-3 posts a week and I was working towards it until I picked a novel to read. Yes,  a novel by Danielle Steel was the culprit behind me not posting or reading any other blogs. I’m addicted to reading and that’s the reason I avoid it many a times, as I can disappear into the book for hours without eating, sleeping or doing any other activity. Any free time available will go towards the book, till it gets over. I can miss out watching my favorite serials on the TV too when it comes to reading a good book!!!

Anyways, today I finished reading the book and I quickly cooked a Tofu pilaf and made some boondi raita for the dinner. While making the boondi raita I suddenly remembered that I did not post my favorite Cucumber and Tomato Raita till date. Now, one would ask me what’s the big deal in making this raita? My answer to that is, Wait till you try this one.. Believe me, it’s different!!!

I love the color of this raita and definitely the taste and flavor. It can make a simple meal quite happening by it’s mere presence. I make this quite frequently as a side dish for pilafs and parathas. It has a South Indian flavor and has a few ingredients cooked and others raw. Chill the raita and serve it as a side dish with hot accompaniments.

Cucumber & Tomato Raita

Preparation Time:5mins

Cooling Time:5mins

Cooking Time:5mins

Serves:4

To be served chilled

 

Ingredients

1 English Cucumber, finely chopped

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

3 dry red chilies

a pinch of turmeric

1/4tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp cumin seeds

3-4seeds of fenugreek

salt to taste

5-6 curry leaves

1cup curds

1/2tsp sugar

2tsp oil

For tempering

2tsp oil

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1tbsp urad-chana daal

5-6curry leaves

Method

Heat 2tsp oil in a pan and add cumin, mustard, red chilies and curry leaves.

Add tomatoes, turmeric and salt to taste. Cook till mushy.

Cool the tomatoes and grind to a paste.

Beat the curds with sugar and salt to taste. Mix the tomato paste in that.

In a bowl take the chopped cucumber. Pour the curds with tomato paste over it, mix.

Make the tempering using the ingredients given under the heading ‘for tempering’. Pour it over the raita. Chill and serve.

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A Lazzatdar Pumpkin Subzi and a healthy Pumpkin Raita

The best part about cooking with pumpkin is it’s very quick to make. There are days when one does not want to cook or wants to cook something simple or wants to cook really fast, Pumpkin comes to the rescue.

Personally I can be a very lazy cook sometimes, especially when it’s hot and humid in the Kitchen. I just hate to stand there and COOK! So, it was one of those days when I made this subzi and to my utter surprise it came out really well…so, I am posting it.

I had made only Daal and rice and at the last moment I thought lets have a little veggie also as a side dish just for taste(Tondi Lavayala in Marathi). It was really less in quantity and everybody liked it so much that they started asking …why did you make so less and I was completely speechless…I Guess it’s ‘My Mistake’ . S, was the saviour and said when you make less it tastes better and I completely agree to that. Let me share a secret with you..S believes firmly the best Subzis I have made till date were when I had cooked something very angrily.

Along with the subzi I am also posting the Pumpkin Raita which was a part of the feast I made for my family on the Rakshabandhan day and that heads towards -Show what you cook for Guests hosted by Rak’s Kitchen.

This raita is very simple and yet very tasty. Personally I can eat it just like that in a bowl without any side dish or chapati. It is extremely healthy as it requires Pumpkin to be steamed so all essential nutrients are restored in it. And as the Raita calls for Yogurt, this is very easy to digest.

Ingredients for The Pumpkin Subzi

400 gms Pumpkin skinned and cubed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp red chili pwd

2-3 tsp Kitchen King Masala ( I used MDH)

2 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp amchoor pwd (dry mango pwd)

salt to taste

a pinch of asafoetida

oil for cooking

Method To make the Subzi

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter, now add the fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and turmeric followed by the Pumpkin.

Mix properly and add the salt. The salt has to be added carefully as the volume of the pumpkin reduces considerably on cooking.

Once the pumpkins are half cooked add the chili, coriander, amchoor and Kitchen king masala. Mix and cook covered till done. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with roti/rice and daal.

For The Pumpkin Raita

200 gms Pumpkin cut in small cubes

1- 2 cups yogurt

1 tsp mustard crushed to pwd

2 tbsp roasted peanut pwd

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

a pinch of asafoetida (heeng)

cilantro to garnish

For the tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 green chilies finely chopped

Method to Make The Raita

Boil the pumpkin till soft. Mix it with yogurt. Add the mustard pwd, peanut pwd, salt and sugar and mix again. Heat oil add mustard, green chilies and heeng and pour it over the raita. Garnish with cilantro.

The mustard gives a nice flavor to the raita and the peanuts increase the richness.

Serve with rice/ phulka.

I am sending both the recipies to event Side dishes for Chapati at Viki’s Kitchen hosted by Vicky Xavier

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