indian food | James & Everett

Cucumber Raita

Christoph — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:30:26 +0000

This interesting yogurt concoction from India is a salad, relish, sauce and side dish in one. It is wonderful as a dip for naan, or when made extra thick, can be served as an alternative to potato salad or coleslaw. Raitas are typically served with spicy Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi dishes to cool the heat.

There are infinite variations of this dish, and you can take them in almost any direction you like. There are mainly three types of raitas, vegetable, pluses or legumes, and fruits. All are made in the same manner using yogurt as the base, with a variety of different spices added.

Cucumber Raita

This interesting yogurt concoction from India is a salad, relish, sauce and side dish in one. It is wonderful as a dip for naan bread, or when made extra thick, can be served as an alternative to potato salad or coleslaw.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
½ cucumber peeled and seeded
½ teaspoon cumin seed
½ teaspoon masala powder
3 springs fresh cilantro
pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Peel, seed, and dice cucumber. Toss cucumber with a teaspoon of salt and place in a strainer over a bowl for about a half an hour to remove water. This will keep the raita from becoming to watery. Rinse to remove excess salt.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth and creamy.

Serve

Serve with warm Naan Bread

Notes

I used full-fat yogurt, but you could use low-fat or Greek yogurt.

Raita can be made with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Here are some examples of other types of Raitas:

Vegetable: Tomato, Onion, Carrot, Pumpkin, Potato, Mint, Spinach.

Pulses: Sprouted green gram, Boondi.

Fruits: Pineapple, Banana, Mango, Guava, Grape.

Raita prepared very thick with large chunks of vegetables served as a salad.

The post Cucumber Raita first appeared on James & Everett.

Broccoli and Onion Pakora – Bhajji

Christoph — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:30:03 +0000

A traditional Indian favorite, pakora is a delicious snack food made of vegetables coated in a pancake like batter and deep-fried to a golden color. Known as bhajji or bajji in the southern regions of India, this dish is also widely popular in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistani pakora differ slightly from those popular in India, being made of a mixture of chopped vegetables and are usually slightly larger and considered a meal instead of an appetizer. Pakoras are often served with mint chutney, riata, or red curry.

Broccoli and Onion Pakora - Bhajji

A traditional Indian favorite, pakora is a delicious snack food made of vegetables coated in a pancake like batter and deep-fried to a golden color.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 cloves garlic crushed
3/4 cup water
1 quart oil for deep frying
1/2 head broccoli Cut into bite size pieces
2 onions sliced into strips

Instructions

Sift the chickpea flour into a medium bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala and garlic.
Make a well in the center of the flower. Gradually pour the water into the well and mix to form a thick, smooth batter.
Over medium high heat in a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 375° F.
In a mixing bowl toss together broccoli and onion. Add the batter and toss to coat.
Using a Tablespoon drop the broccoli batter carefully into the hot oil
Fry small batches until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn as needed to avoid burning.
Drain on a wire rack over a paper bag or newspaper.

Serve

Pakora is delicious served with mint chutney, riata, or red curry.

The post Broccoli and Onion Pakora – Bhajji first appeared on James & Everett.