[Suvir Saran]

My brother who has come from India for the duration of my parents stay here in Denver, has cucumber raita with each meal.

I make it daily. I dice the cucumbers very finely. My mother chops them into medium dice. Panditji in India would always grate the cucumber. When in NYC, I also grate it... but often simply dice it very very fine.

I like it each way... they all have their own charm... but I know some friends and family members that are very picky about how the cucumber must be handled.

What does your recipe entail?

While we are discussing cucumber raita, do you have any special recipes for it? Special tricks?

[Monica Bhide]

Here is my very humble recipe.

Thanda Kheere ka Raita (cold cucumber raita)
Description

This delectable raita up has its origins in the princely Indian State of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is primarily a desert and the summers are quite hot. In sweltering heat of the summer, it has a wonderful cooling effect.
Serves 6
Ingredients

1 large cucumber, peeled and grated
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups water
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon Canola oil
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
Garnish: 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves , finely chopped
Method

Place the cucumber in a bowl and chill for about 20 minutes. You will notice the cucumber juice has collected in the bowl. Pour off this juice. Press down on the cucumber to get out as much as possible
Add the garlic, and then stir in the yogurt and the water. Combine thoroughly. Add salt to taste
Now, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and sauté for about 1 minute or until the seeds start to crackle and you can smell the aroma. Remove from the heat and stir into the yogurt soup.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
When ready to serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with the mint leaves.

Cooking time

15 mins prep and about 2 ½ hours to chill.

[Suvir Saran]

Monica,

Where did you learn this recipe? It is fascinating.... Cucumber Raita is indeed quite common in Rajasthan. Melons and Cucumber thrive in the dessert there.

The spices you use and how you use are somewhat unique. Wonderful. I was wondering if you have picked this recipe from a particular region , or if you just gave it the name Rajasthani as a way of remembering the love of these people for cucumbers.

[Monica Bhide]

My parents lived in Jaipur, Rajasthan for a long time. One of the Maharani's of the city was a good friend. She passed this recipe on to my mother. they would actually serve this as a soup.. a bit more thinned out. We use it as a raita. Also she would somtimes, I believe, susbtitute buttermilk for the yogurt.. in that case she recommended chillng the soup overnight -- a very different taste.

[FoodMan]

Quote

thrive in the dessert there

I'm assuming you mean desert Suvir. right?

The raita I normally make varies. The Lebanese version (courtesy of my mom of course and not called raita but simply "Cucumber in yogurt") is made with medium diced cucumbers, yogurt, salt and plenty of crushed dried mint. This is normally served with grilled or fried "kibbe".
Another version is made with strained yogurt, lime, cilantro and cucumber. this is more of a dip than a sauce but it is fantastic with grilled lamb.

Monica's sounds great too, especially that last bit with the mustard seeds. I will give it a try.

FM

[Suvir Saran]

FoodMan, on Feb 21 2003, 02:08 PM, said:

Monica's sounds great too, especially that last bit with the mustard seeds. I will give it a try.

FM

Exactly what sparked my question.

Mustard seeds are not too common in Rajasthani cooking. They are used in Southern Indian pachadis (raita).

The maharani in question traveled and so must have picked it up.

Pachadis (Southern Indian Raitas) are amazing. Just for this fact.. the fried mustard seeds and curry leaves and often a pinch of asafetida makes for a great flavor in the yogurt.

[Suvir Saran]

FoodMan, on Feb 21 2003, 02:08 PM, said:

Quote

thrive in the dessert there

I'm assuming you mean desert Suvir. right?

Thank you... sorry about that.. I meant desert.

[indiagirl]

Suvir Saran, on Feb 22 2003, 01:36 PM, said:

Pachadis (Southern Indian Raitas) are amazing.  Just for this fact.. the fried mustard seeds and curry leaves and often a pinch of asafetida makes for a great flavor in the yogurt.

Pachadis are indeed amazing. And they frequently skip the youghurt.

So, heat up the oil with the following ingredients in it:
mustard seeds
asafoetida
a teaspoon of urad (white lentils)
e teaspoon of chana dal
fresh green chillies
a few curry leaves
Stir it on medium to high heat until the mustard seeds start popping. A minute or two.

Add that to any fresh ingredients of your choice - chopped cucumber, chopped tomato etc.

Add salt to taste, cilantro and a bit of lime juice.

I love the crunch of the lentils.

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks for sharing the recipe Indiagirl!

What I love about some of these amazing Southern Indian recipes is the brilliant use of lentils and beans as spices.

In these tadkas (tempering oils), beans and lentils are used to flavor the oil and give the dish a flavor unique to these lentils.

What is also amazing is the crunch and "tooth" they add to the dish.

Monica, what Queen were your parents friendly with? Now I am all curious. I am writing a story about the foods of the royal families, maybe I can use this particular family as well. It is fascinating that they used mustard seeds for tadka. How long has that family used mustard seeds for Raita? It is a curious issue... I can imagine it being used in the last 20 years... but if they did so before.. they were way ahead of the trends. Would you be able to get this information without too much trouble? If you can, I shall be indebted to you greatly. And certainly I will give you credit as well.

[Elissa]

No one seeds the cukes too?

[Simon Majumdar]

lissome, on Feb 22 2003, 03:30 PM, said:

No one seeds the cukes too?

My recipe for raita is very simple

Yoghurt
Mint chopped
Cucumber seeded and diced
Salt

I am never sure why people think it needs any more.

S

This post has been edited by Simon Majumdar: 22 February 2003 - 03:37 PM

[A Scottish Chef]

Simon Majumdar, on Feb 22 2003, 10:37 PM, said:

I am never sure why people think it needs any more.

S

It doesn't, of course. But then you would never get to dip popadom in fiery green chilli raita, would you?

[Elissa]

read somewhere that you can 'sweat' cukes quicker by placing a bowl/bag with water over the lightly salted chopped vegetables while they chill/drain.

This post has been edited by lissome: 22 February 2003 - 04:50 PM

[Suvir Saran]

lissome, on Feb 22 2003, 07:49 PM, said:

read somewhere that you can 'sweat' cukes quicker by placing a bowl/bag with water over the lightly salted chopped vegetables while they chill/drain.

Thanks for the tip!
Do you make raita? Do you seed the cucumbers?

[indiagirl]

simon, it does not necessarily "need" more. it's just a variation i enjoy. i frequently make it with nothing more than yoghurt, cilantro, salt and cucumbers. like pasta sauces. sometimes you want a basic sauce that needs nothing more than five minutes of cooking. and other times you want something a little more complex. if complex is the right word. which i do not think it is.

about the seeding - i do not seed them. i do however cut the ends of and rub them aginst the cucumbers (yes, yes, i do realize how that sounds!!) until the white goopy stuff comes off and then i peel them. i think that's an indian thing and it takes the bitter out.

suvir, do you do that too?

[Suvir Saran]

indiagirl, on Feb 22 2003, 09:54 PM, said:

simon, it does not necessarily "need" more. it's just a variation i enjoy. i frequently make it with nothing more than yoghurt, cilantro, salt and cucumbers. like pasta sauces. sometimes you want a basic sauce that needs nothing more  than five minutes of cooking. and other times you want something a little more complex. if complex is the right word. which i do not think it is.

about the seeding - i do not seed them. i do however cut the ends of and rub them aginst the cucumbers (yes, yes, i do realize how that sounds!!) until the white goopy stuff comes off and then i peel them. i think that's an indian thing and it takes the bitter out.

suvir, do you do that too?

I agree with you Indiagirl.
I get bored of the basic raita very easily... especially when I have had it almost every day.
That is when I need the pachadis you so generously share about.
And once I have had pachadi and some other variations, I crave that basic recipe that Simon mentions.
Both are needed and necessary in my life.

And yes, like you, I often will rub the ends till that goo you mention comes out. A trick I learned in India. I do not think it is necessary in the US. The cucumbers have little flavor to begin with. And are not as bitter. But I often do it just for some shock value.

Indiagirl, that was a lovely analogy you used about the pasta sauce.

[Elissa]

You mean you cut off the ends and rub the roots on the skins?

I seed cukes for yogurt dishes but always have the sense something's being lost, so eat them separately. Raita, and/or Tzatziki ?, I like instead of potatoes and toast with scrambled eggs. And everywhere else.

This post has been edited by lissome: 23 February 2003 - 01:11 AM

[Suvir Saran]

lissome, on Feb 22 2003, 11:02 PM, said:

You mean you cut off the ends and rub the roots on the skins?

I seed the cukes but always have the sense something's being lost, so i eat the seeds alone. The Raita, or too Tzatziki, I like instead of potatoes and toast with scrambled eggs. And everywhere else.

Nope you just trim the edges before peeling the cucumber. You then rub the fleshy sides against one another... it makes the cucumber froth.
That froth is supposed to be the bitter flavor of cucumber.
But it hardly makes any difference in the US.

[Elissa]

the two now flat fleshy ends, head to head and toe to toe, you mean, of two different cukes at a time?

[indiagirl]

lissome - gimme two, i'll illustrate for you ....

[indiagirl]

lissome

i sketched an image for you but can't post it unless it's a url. had not thought that one through. anyway ... perhaps a verbals explanation will suffice. so you cut the ends off. then there are two flat faces you have created - one on the end piece on the main cucmber body. you rub these two faces together and some white goopy stuff comes out by capillary action.

i have no idea if this is really the bitter or it's just an old wives tale. i do it out of sheer habit and have never had a bitter cucumber!

[indiagirl]

ok, yes, three posts in a row is rude but i forgot somethinng.

suvir, the last time in india i was on a personal quest for cookbooks that contained recipes from royal gharanas and found one ... i believe it is by digivijay singh. i have not used it yet but would be more than happy to give you details if you are interested. let me know.

[Suvir Saran]

lissome, on Feb 23 2003, 12:30 AM, said:

the two now flat fleshy ends, head to head and toe to toe, you mean, of two different cukes at a time?

The open sides of each side against one another. Not of different cucumbers.

[Suvir Saran]

indiagirl, on Feb 23 2003, 01:00 AM, said:

ok, yes, three posts in a row is rude but i forgot somethinng.

suvir, the last time in india i was on a personal quest for cookbooks that contained recipes from royal gharanas and found one ... i believe it is by digivijay singh. i have not used it yet but would be more than happy to give you details if you are interested. let me know.

I have the book. Do you like it?
I am not crazy about it.

[indiagirl]

yeah. i'm not too crazy about it either. i've looked through it several times and have never felt particularly inspired to try something from it.

:(

i had such hopes for it too. i imagined the food being able to transport us into an era, you know, where we could eat like maharajahs and maharanis. which is what had inspired my quest in the first place.

oh well.

i guess, the maharajahs rarely cooked their own dinners anyway.

:)

This post has been edited by indiagirl: 22 February 2003 - 10:55 PM

[Suvir Saran]

indiagirl, on Feb 23 2003, 01:54 AM, said:

yeah. i'm not too crazy about it either. i've looked through it several times and have never felt particularly inspired to try something from it.

:(

i had such hopes for it too. i imagined the food being able to transport us into an era, you know, where we could eat like maharajahs and maharanis. which is what had inspired my quest in the first place.

oh well.

i guess, the maharajahs rarely cooked their own dinners anyway.

:)

The book is very true to form and style and that era. But our lives are very different and especially in the US or for that matter any part of the world outside of the US.
In India itself, things are changing and those times are not always in synch with the pulse of the times.

My dear friend and fellow food lover Maharani Shalini Devi (Sally by birth, a caucasian beauty from Dallas, TX, who married the Maharaja of Holkar) is a great cook and food writer, cook book author, magazine publisher, textile expert and political activist has done an amazing amount for Indian food. She started Indias first food magazine and also made food chic. Sally is American by birth and yet more Indian than most people I know. Her food, cookbook and her love of India and its food is beyond what any Indian I know can have.

Her book written with Maharaja Richard Holkar brings to the reader the foods of these royals and their friends and relatives. But it also does a great job in making it accessible. It is an out of print book. Richard and Sally are separated. They have each done a lot for India. Richard is from a long lineage of powerful and prominent Indian royals. And it was interesting that for generations the maharanis have been caucasion women.

Maybe it is these women, and their cultural ability to document stuff that made their cookbook so much better than most other Indian cookbooks.

Not all is lost when being translated for simple home cooks. Some people care to give the reader what is poignant. And some do not care. I think for Sally and Richard the book was about sharing their great love for food and also the lore of their regions traditions. For some others, cookbooks are little if at all anything more than just an egotistical drive.

[indiagirl]

suvir, thanks so much. the Holkar book sounds wonderful.

can you tell me what it is called. my uncle owns a bookstore in nagpur and perhaps he could find me a copy?

[Suvir Saran]

indiagirl, on Feb 23 2003, 12:16 PM, said:

suvir, thanks so much. the Holkar book sounds wonderful.

can you tell me what it is called. my uncle owns a bookstore in nagpur and perhaps he could find me a copy?

I have it in NYC... I shall get you the name once I am back.
What a lucky person you are have an Uncle that can find you such books...

[Monica Bhide]

Suvir Saran, on Feb 22 2003, 05:13 PM, said:

Thanks for sharing the recipe Indiagirl!

What I love about some of these amazing Southern Indian recipes is the brilliant use of lentils and beans as spices.

In these tadkas (tempering oils), beans and lentils are used to flavor the oil and give the dish a flavor unique to these lentils.

What is also amazing is the crunch and "tooth" they add to the dish. 

Monica, what Queen were your parents friendly with?  Now I am all curious.  I am writing a story about the foods of the royal families, maybe I can use this particular family as well.  It is fascinating that they used mustard seeds for tadka.  How long has that family used mustard seeds for Raita?  It is a curious issue... I can imagine it being used in the last 20 years... but if they did so before.. they were way ahead of the trends.  Would you be able to get this information without too much trouble?  If you can, I shall be indebted to you greatly.  And certainly I will give you credit as well.

I shall ask my mom. It was over 20 years ago.. I know they still keep in touch with her family, though she is no more

[Suvir Saran]

Monica Bhide, on Feb 24 2003, 10:02 AM, said:

I shall ask my mom. It was over 20 years ago.. I know they still keep in touch with her family, though she is no more

I am sorry that she is no more.
If your mom remembers her name, please do share... it would be great stuff for you and I to know... as Indian foodies, it would help us in our quest to understand it better.
This lady certainly was ahead of her times.