Cucumber Raita
Ingredients
2 green seedless cucumbers
1 teaspoon salt
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
375 ml/12 fl oz/1 1/2 cups thick natural yoghurt lime or lemon juice to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or mint
Directions
Peel the cucumbers, or run the tines of a fork down the length of them to give a decorative effect on the skin. Cut into small dice, sprinkle with salt and leave for 15 minutes then drain away liquid and rinse the cucumbers quickly in cold water. Drain well. Combine with onion, yoghurt, lime juice and check whether more salt is required. Roast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until brown. Bruise or crush seeds and sprinkle over yoghurt. Serve chilled.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)