A really quick and easy cucumber mint dip which takes minutes to prepare. Cucumber and mint raita is a yogurt based Indian dip that can be prepared with ingredients right from your refrigerator. Whether be breakfast, lunch or dinner this refreshing side dish blends well with any course of meal. Cucumber has a cooling effect on our body. About 96% of cucumber is water and while grating all of that collects around cucumber. I usually save that water, stir in some chopped mint leaves, season with salt-pepper and drink it – it’s a wonder drink that aids digestion. Easy, simple yet lip smacking raita that goes well with any Indian meal whether be dal or pulao. After mixing in all the ingredients let the dip sit in the refrigerator for a while and let curd soak in all the flavors. I have used thick homemade beaten yogurt for this recipe and have added 1 tablespoon of cucumber water to dilute my raita. If the yogurt you are using already has a high water content in it, then skip this part as it will make the raita runny. Squeeze out all of the water, stir in grated cucumber, add spices, mix and enjoy. For thick and creamier texture you can even use store bought curd/yogurt. A tip – Have Mint chutney on hand – stir in 1 teaspoon of mint chutney to your cucumber raita and enjoy the amazing taste. If using mint chutney then skip adding dried mint. A great accompaniment to Biryanis and Indian breads.
