Another accompaniment made with curd and coconut served for sadya

Bittergourd (karela) – 150 gms (washed and seeded)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Plain yogurt / curd – 1 cup (not sour)
Salt – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

For paste
Grated fresh coconut – ½ quantity
Green chili – 6 nos
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Water – ¾ cup

1. Chop in to small pieces washed and seeded bitter guard
2. In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté the chopped bitter guard till brown on medium heat and keep aside
3. Grind to a fine paste all contents mentioned above (for paste)
4. Beat the curd and add to it the paste and mix well
5. In a small pan heat remaining oil and add mustard seeds. Allow it to sputter and then tip it into the coconut-curd mixture
6. Add salt and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat
7. Add the cooked bitter guard, mix well and remove from heat
8. Allow it to cool (to room temperature) and serve

*Pachadi is thick in consistency
*You can also use ladies finger (Okra), cucumber, ripe pineapple in place of bitter guard

Onam Asamsakkal..

Boiled Potato Raita

We all love potatoes, don’t we? So how can there be a Raita week with no potato raita? here’s one quick and simple one…check it out

To plain yogurt / curd add the following

• Boiled and cubed potatoes
• Red chilli powder (paparika)
• Roasted cumin powder

Mix well, garnish with chopped cilantro, boiled chickpeas / crushed fried groundnuts!

Till next time….happy cooking!

Beetroot Raita served with Pulav

Add to plain yogurt, grated beetroot, chopped green chili, salt and a pinch of sugar and your delecious beetroot raita is ready to be served!

Alternatively you can also boil the beetroot to make it soft before adding to yogurt…

Till tomorrow…. happy cooking!

Mixed Vegetable Raita

The simplest of all Raitas hardly take any time of yours in the kitchen plus they are healthy too!

Onion (red or white) – 1 nos

Tomato – 1 no

Cucumber / Zucchini – 1 no

Green chili – 1 nos (optional)

Roasted and ground cumin powder – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Plain yogurt / curd – 100 gms

1. Finely chop all vegetables.
2. Add to the yogurt along with salt and cumin powder
3. Serve chilled with pulav (pilaf) / biryani etc

Till tomorrow… happy cooking

Fruits Raita

Fruits with yogurt and spices yumm..

Plain yogurt, Green grapes, Pomegranate, chopped apples. Combine all and to it add beaten fresh cream, a pinch of sugar, a dash of chat masala, roasted cumin powder and salt. Serve chilled.

Now, how simple can a recipe get …yeh?

have fun cooking!

Pumpkin Raita

Raita might be originally from North India, but each region has adopted and adapted it to their own taste. Check out the south Indian version…

White pumpkin – 1/4 kgs

Green chili – 1 no

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Cumin – 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds – 2 tsps

Beaten thick curd / plain yogurt – 1and half cups

For tempering – 2 tsp oil, mustard, 1 dry red chili and curry leaves

1. Chop pumpkin into small pieces to it add chopped green chili, little water and boil
2. When soft add salt
3. Grind fine coconut and cumin seeds and add to it crushed mustard seeds (about 1/4 tsp)
4. Add the above to boiled pumpkin and give it another boil.
5. Add curd and temper it with mustard, red chili and curry leaves
6. Serve chilled

Till next time…happy cooking!

Raita served with biryani

Basically from North of India Raita is the cool yogurt based sauce or dip or a complete side dish in itself. Raitas are something that can made with your imagination. Use fruits, vegetables, spice or even nuts! Raitas can be tailor made to suit every individual’s taste palette. You can serve it with Indian snacks, kebabs, pulav or biryani.

Next on Akshayapatram few Raita recipes from my kitchen

Till next time…. happy cooking!

I will share with you few recipes of Raitas that I know of and like. This is just one of them and tastes quite unique and serves as a good side dish.

Bottleguard / Lauki –grated 2 cups
Beaten curd / yoghurt – 4 cups
Roasted cumin seeds powder – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander – for garnish (finely chopped)

1. Cook the grated bottleguard in ½ cup water till tender and keep aside for cooling
2. Add this to beaten curd.
3. Add cumin seeds powder, red chilli powder and salt
4. Garnish with coriander before serving
5. Serve this with Indian bread, dry item / any curry item.

For people who don’t know what raita is …. Raita is basically a spiced up version of curd / yogurt. You can add fruits, veggies anything and come up with your own version of raita.

Till next time…happy cooking!