cucumber raita

cucumber raita is one of the most commonly made side to go with a biryani or pulao.  Raita is made of yogurt, mild spice powders and favorite veggies or fruits. Onions, tomatoes, cucumber are few veggies that are often used. onion raita, mint raita, boondi raita are some of the varieties that are loved and made often at home.

To make cucumber raita, all we need is fresh cucumber, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder and salt. Mint, coriander leaves, green chili or fresh ginger juice can also be used.

cucumbers help in digestion and brings down the heat in the biryani. I prefer to keep our weekend meal simple, made this raita to go with the vegetable pulao.

find the complete recipe of cucumber raita below

4.5 from 2 reviews

cucumber raita recipe, how to make cucumber raita

Prep time

8 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

10 mins

Healthy raita to accompany biryani or pulao

Author: Swasthi

Recipe type: side

Cuisine: Indian

Yield / Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients (240 ml cup used)

• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 cup curd/yogurt (adjust to get the desired consistency)
• salt as needed
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder

optional

• pinch of pepper powder
• few mint leaves or coriander leaves
• 1 green chili seeded and chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger juice if you like the flavor

Instructions

1. Lightly dry roast cumin on a low flame. Cool it and powder.
2. Wash and peel cucumber. chop to small bites.
3. Add them to a bowl along with yogurt, salt and cumin powder. If using the optional ingredients add them as well and mix. To make ginger juice, grate ginger, add it to a tea strainer and press, juice drips through the strainer.Add just one 1 tsp.
4. Garnish with pepper powder.

Mutton Dum Biryani

I sat in the January cold of Michigan craving biryani, the painful realisation that my migration from Pakistan had taken me away from most desi delights. Dejected, head bent I walked to the mailbox, battling the bone chilling wind and meandering the snow and then, I smelt it; the aroma of desi masalas.

I followed the smell to 70-year-old Fakhrunissa auntie’s apartment on the second floor. I rang the doorbell, and auntie warmly welcomed me to a delicious mutton biryani lunch. The journey and evolution of biryani chronicled by Lizzie Collingham in Curry states, The same process of synthesis went on in the kitchens. Here, the delicately flavored Persian pilau met the pungent and spicy rice dishes of Hindustan to create the classic Mughlai dish, biryani. One of the most distinctive Persian culinary techniques was to marinate meat in curds (yogurt).

For biryani onions, garlic, almonds, and spices were added to the curds, to make a thick paste that coated the meat. Once it had marinated, the meat was briefly fried, before being transferred to a pot. Then, following the cooking technique for pilau, partially cooked rice was heaped over the meat. Saffron soaked in milk was poured over the rice to give it colour and aroma, and the whole dish was covered tightly and cooked slowly, with hot coals on the lid and around the bottom of the pot, just as with pilau. The resultant biryani was a much spicier Indian version of the Persian pilau. Nowadays, it is a favorite dish in the subcontinent at all wedding celebrations.

Famed Mumtaz Mahal is credited for the modern day biryani, she thought it to be a complete meal and suggested it for troop consumption, during wartime and peace. The evolution of the biryani from pilau is fascinating. History suggests that the dum method of cooking comes from the Persian style of cooking, and may have travelled to the Indian subcontinent from Persia through Afghanistan, or from ancient Arabia to Kerala through the Arabian Sea with traders. Nonetheless in Persian, birian means grilling or frying before cooking, hence the method to cook biryani. Today, we boil the rice before the process of dum but tradiontionally, when biryani was prepared, the unwashed rice was initially fried in butter or ghee, before boiling. It was believed that frying the rice gave it a nutty flavour and also burnt the starch, gelatinising the outer layer of the rice.
separately, a lamb leg was set to sit in a marinade of curd, spices and papaya and then cooked to tenderness. Once the meat was cooked it was layered with the half cooked rice, infused with droplets of rose water, saffron and mace (these spices gave it a flowery and royal essence) and were then sealed in a handi and set on low flame until the rice was fully cooked and plumped, and ready to be served. Biryani has variations from different regions of the subcontinent, all claiming that their twist on it is the best. It is so rumoured that the Nizaam of the great state of Hyderabad wanted Hyderabad to own the royal dish, thus he had his kitchen give it a twist and the outcome is the legendary Hyderabadi biryani.

Tipu Sultan of Karnataka spread the biryani to Mysore, giving us the Mysoree biryani, but the most special biryani may be the one that does not have meat. The nawabs of the region hired vegetarian cooks to create the meatless biryani and thus tahiri came to be. Despite all the different twists to the dish; Sindhi biryani with potatoes, Memoni biryani with spicy masala, kacha gosht biryani cooked in whole garam masala spices sans tomatoes, it is actually Lucknow that lays the ultimate claim to it. The Awadhi dum biryani is another gift the nawabs gave to the northern part of India. The specialty of the Awadhi dum biryani is that the meat is half cooked and the dish is brought to cooking perfection through the dum pukth style of cooking, almost like the ancient times when berian was buried into the ground until the rice plumped. In the 1640s, Portuguese priest Fra Sebastian Manrique visited the subcontinent and wrote about the aroma of biryani in the Punjab, namely Lahore:

This city of tents contained market-places, filled with delicious and appetising eatables… Among these dishes the principal and most substantial were the rich and aromatic Mogol Bringes [biryanis] and Persian pilaos of different hues… Nor did these bazaars lack the simple foods of the native and superstitious pagan; as to meet their taste many tents held different dishes of rice, herbs and vegetables, among which the chief place was taken by the Gujerat or dry bringe….[biryanis]. Today, I share with you auntie’s biryani recipe. It is just what an immigrant desi needs to combat severe homesickness.

Here it is, from my kitchen to yours.

 Ingredients 3 to 4 lbs. mutton (leg meat) 3 mugs basmati rice 6 oz. to 10 oz. oil 2 ½ to 3 large onions, sliced 4 teaspoons freshly chopped garlic and garlic Salt to taste Red chillie powder to taste 10 green cardamoms ½ to ¾ tsp. peppercorns ½ to ¾ tsp. cloves 2 to 4 cinnamon sticks 5 black cardamom pods 16 oz. to 20oz. yogurt 6 to 8 green chilies ½ bunch coriander leaves Orange food colour (just a pinch) 8 oz. to 16 oz. water Dash of lemon juice Ingredients to be added to boiling rice Salt to taste 4 bay leaves 4 cinnamon sticks 3 black cardamom pods ¼ tsp. black peppercorns ¼ tsp. cloves

Method Heat oil and add meat, 1½ sliced onions, ginger garlic, salt, red chillie and whole garam masala. Cook until half done, adding brown onions (fried earlier) yogurt and lemon juice. Once the meat is tender set aside. The biryani masala is ready. In a separate pot (colander) boil water adding whole garam masala and bay leaves.

 Once the water comes to a boil, add pre-soaked rice keeping the rice to tender crisp phase, since we cook the rice completely in the dum phase. Drain the rice, layer the pot with rice, topping with a layer of biryani masala, adding a second layer of rice. Top with fried onions, sprinkle food colouring, cilantro, mint, a pinch of garam masala powder and 2 tbsp. kewra. Seal pot with foil and lid. Notching full heat for five minutes and medium to low heat for 15 minutes to complete the dum. Let it sit for 10 minutes, mix and serve. Garnish with green chillie, mint and chopped cilantro. Serve with a side of kachumer (chopped onion, tomato and green chillie salad) and raita.

Tahiri

Tahiri, a simple nutritious food that I love but do not make often enough. My mother and grandmother used to make it at least once a month, unlike my own once-a-year stint.

With a side of mint coriander chutney and vinegar-soaked sliced onions, Tahiri's simple goodness like no other. It is delicious on the plate, easy on the wallet, provides adequate nourishment for the body and soul, and needless to say, is perfectly spiced to satisfy the desi desire for a meal with a zing.

 Rice dishes vary considerably across different areas of the subcontinent, with regional biryanis, pulaos, tahiris and khitchris prevailing in varying forms; each claiming their own version to be the best. Before the advent of Mumtaz Mahal, Akbar the Great made Asfa Jahi the Nizaam of the great state of Hyderabad. It is rumoured that the Nizaam wanted Hyderabad to own a royal rice dish, so he had his kitchen give it a twist and thus evolved the legendary Hyderabadi biryani. However, the most special biryani may be the one that does not have meat. The nawabs of the region hired vegetarian cooks to create meatless biryani, which is how tahiri came into being.


Yakhni rice is a universal and ancient food, and has gathered most world cuisines in its embrace. Tahiri finds its ancestry in pulao and not biryani, since pulao rice is cooked to perfection in meat stock, and tahiri in vegetable stock. But some argue that the biryani is the real ancestor of tahiri, since tahiri – cooked with vegetable masala* – serves as an alternative to the the meat masala of biryani. The Persian cooks let the rice sit in salted water for several hours so it would shimmer like crystals, and expected the rice to plump to perfection in the boiling stock.

 They rejected the quality of the rice if it clumped up or became sticky. Tahiri, a simple nutritious food that I love but do not make often enough. My mother and grandmother used to make it at least once a month, unlike my own once-a-year stint. With a side of mint coriander chutney and vinegar-soaked sliced onions, Tahiri's simple goodness like no other. It is delicious on the plate, easy on the wallet, provides adequate nourishment for the body and soul, and needless to say, is perfectly spiced to satisfy the desi desire for a meal with a zing. Rice dishes vary considerably across different areas of the subcontinent, with regional biryanis, pulaos, tahiris and khitchris prevailing in varying forms; each claiming their own version to be the best. Before the advent of Mumtaz Mahal, Akbar the Great made Asfa Jahi the Nizaam of the great state of Hyderabad. It is rumoured that the Nizaam wanted Hyderabad to own a royal rice dish, so he had his kitchen give it a twist and thus evolved the legendary Hyderabadi biryani.
However, the most special biryani may be the one that does not have meat. The nawabs of the region hired vegetarian cooks to create meatless biryani, which is how tahiri came into being. Yakhni rice is a universal and ancient food, and has gathered most world cuisines in its embrace. Tahiri finds its ancestry in pulao and not biryani, since pulao rice is cooked to perfection in meat stock, and tahiri in vegetable stock. But some argue that the biryani is the real ancestor of tahiri, since tahiri – cooked with vegetable masala* – serves as an alternative to the the meat masala of biryani. The Persian cooks let the rice sit in salted water for several hours so it would shimmer like crystals, and expected the rice to plump to perfection in the boiling stock. They rejected the quality of the rice if it clumped up or became sticky.

Centuries later, Tavenier, a French traveller and cultural anthropologist observed that the best rice suited to make vegetarian tahiri and meat pulao was cultivated southwest of Agra. It plumped to perfection, with each grain separate and fluffy. When Babur arrived in the subcontinent, he abhorred the cuisine. He was used to a hearty meat-based nomadic shepherd's diet, and hailing from central Asia, the meat pulao was a fundamental repertoire to any central Asian kitchen. The cultural mesh of Persia, central Asia and India gave birth to an offshoot of the pulao, the wonderful biryani; it was in the Mughal kitchens that the elegantly subtle pulao was introduced to the Indian spices giving birth to the delightfully fiery biryani; which, in essence, evolved to vegetarian biryani in the kitchens of Uttar Pradesh. The chefs in Lucknow prided in making the fragrant tahiri and maintained that the sophistication of the dish was in its subtlety of meatless flavour, where the floral essence of the rice and fragrance of the vegetables enhanced the taste.

 The elite cooking of Pakistan and India expresses its central Asian, Turkish, Afghan and Persian roots, but we cannot ignore that its nourishment and flavour was epitomised because of local spices, indigenous ingredients, regional cultures and races native to the region. Subcontinental food is unique and has evolved over centuries to become what it has today: rich, vibrant, and flavorful. Today, I use my mother’s recipe to make tahiri. Needless to say, it was an expected hit, so my once-a-year stint is sure to become a monthly fare. Here it is, from my kitchen to yours:

Ingredients

1½ cup basamati rice 1 onion 2 tomatoes 2 green chillies 1 tsp. fresh ginger garlic Salt to taste Red chillie powder to taste ½ tsp. cumin seeds ½ tsp. turmeric 1 large potato, cut in small cubes ½ cup to ¾ cup chopped cauliflower ½ cup peas or carrots (optional) 1 black cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf (each) 4 to 6 black pepper corns 4 cloves Oil to taste.

Method Heat the oil and brown sliced onions, adding tomato, green chillie, ginger garlic, salt, cumin, turmeric and red chilli. Cook on high heat for a few minutes, adding potatoes, cauliflower, pea or carrots. Cook for a couple of minutes and pour in 3 ¼ cups of hot water, along with whole garam masala. Then add the washed rice and cook on high heat until the rice absorbs the vegetable stock and appears parboiled. Seal shut to initiate dum cooking on low heat. Once the rice plumps, serve with chutney, salad and raita.

10 Indian States and Their Special Dishes

India consists of 28 states and seven union territories. However, that is not what sets it apart from the other countries of the world. India is a nation that is so vibrant and diverse and every state exhibits a different culture, tradition, a way of life, language and cuisine.

So, whether you are spending a few days up north in Kashmir or vacationing down south to Kerala, you will witness striking dissimilarities in the kind of foods people savor. This is what makes India one of the much-loved countries by gourmet foodies the world over. To give you a better insight into the food scene of the nation, below is a listing of a few Indian states and their special dishes, so that when you are in the country next, you can focus on trying out the best local cuisines!

1. Punjab

This northern state is especially popular for its amazing local cuisine that is relished throughout the country. Try the makke ki roti and sarson da saag, which is a popular combination of a Punjabi flat-bread and gravy made of mustard leaves and spices. Also, the popular chhola-bhatura, rajma-chawal, amritsari machhli (fish) and lassi (sweetened buttermilk) find their roots in this region.

2. Gujarat

Traditional Gujarati food is adored for its distinctive flavor that maintains an interesting balance between spices and sweetness. Try the dhokla, which is a well-known snack or breakfast item that is both healthy and delicious. Other popular delicacies include the thepla (flat-bread made of fresh fenugreek leaves and flour), khandvi, dhansak and Gujarati kadhi.

3. Maharashtra

Vada Pav [Photo Source: Pinterest]

Maharashtrian cuisine covers a range of dishes that go from being too mild to very zesty. Throughout the state, you can find amazing restaurants serving typical local food. The most cherished is the vada pav, which is a potato fritter stuffed between bread buns, served with piquant chutney and green chilies. Other prominent dishes from this region include, pav-bhaji, shrikhand, thalipeeth, puran poli and modak.

4. Bihar

Litti Chokha [Photo Source: Pinterest]

People don’t know enough about the typical cuisine of Bihar even though it is excessively rich in taste and austere in the way it is prepared. The most admired delicacy of the state is litti and chokha, which consists of roasted wheat balls stuffed with a special filling and mashed potatoes with distinct flavors. Also worth trying are the sattu parathas, jhal murhi, khaja and tilkut.

5. Rajasthan

Dal Baati [Photo Source: Pinterest]

This state is not only illustrious because of its vast deserts, beautiful palaces, and vibrant history—it is also famed for the scrumptious indigenous cuisine. The region presents a variety of delicacies when it comes to food. One of the most appetizing dishes is daal-baati, which consists of hard balls made of wheat flour and additives fried in ghee, and a special daal made of different types of pulses. It is usually served with churma, a sweet dish prepared by crushing baatis and adding ghee and sugar. Also try the pyaaz kachori, malai ghewar, gatte ki sabzi and kalakand.

6. West Bengal

Doi Machh [Photo Source: Pinterest]

Bengal is just the right state for those who have a sweet tooth or those who love fish. That might be a strange combination—and yet in India, you will find famous Bengali sweets and Bengali restaurants serving the traditional cuisine in almost every city you visit. One popular dish is the doi machh, which is Bengali fish curry with rice. Other well-known delicacies include the sandesh, daab jhingri (a special mustard prawn curry), rasgulla and mishti doi.

7. Sikkim

Phagshapa [Photo Source: Pinterest]

The cuisine of this state is influenced by the northeastern part of India and Nepal along with a high Nepalese population. One of the must-try delicacies in Sikkim is the phagshapa, made of strips of dried pork fat cooked with turnips, radishes, and chilies. Also, momos, thukpa, gundruk and sael roti are quite popular in this region.

8. Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabadi Biryani [Photo Source: Pinterest]

This is the state that has given the world one of its most savored dishes: biryani. Andhra Pradesh deserves a visit, especially for the authentic Hyderabadi biryani. Biryani is made of layered rice which is cooked with any type of meat, chicken or a combination of vegetables. Other popular food options in the state to take in are mirchi salan, ghongura pickle and korikoora.

9. Jammu and Kashmir

Kalaadi cheese [Photo Source: Pinterest]

The northernmost state of India brings forth one of the most delicious cuisines to be found anywhere in the country. The rogan josh, dum aloo, yakhni, haak saag, gustaba and tabak maaz are some of the well-liked dishes served in this region. One incredible delicacy to taste is the kalaadi cheese, which is a traditional local hill cheese (usually made from cow’s milk) native to this land.

10. Tamil Nadu

Masala Dosa [Photo Source: Pinterest]

The taste of India cannot be complete without a mention of the dosa and idli. This state is the origin of the most famous South Indian cuisine that is eaten around the world. There are a variety of dosas available around the region—but the most popular is the masala dosa, in which a fermented crepe made of rice batter is filled with potatoes and served with sambhar and coconut chutney. Also, one must try the idlis, appam, rasam, chettinad chicken and pongal when in this state.