Recipe: $2.50
Per Cup: $1.25 / Per Serving: $0.63
First things first: The giveaway is still running! Snag a copy of Good & Cheap: Eat Well on $4 A Day.
This is post number two hailing the goodness of Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap Cookbook. We kicked things off with whole wheat roti, but I'm going to step it up a bit with RAITA. Basically the easiest, most delicious thing you're not making yet. Why it took me so long to try my hand at this delicious yogurt dip remains a mystery.
I have a strong love for Tzatziki. And if you make it with Straus yogurt, you're basically eating everything I want to eat every day of my life. However, dill is something I have yet to find in Japan. (Along with jalapeños!) So when I found the recipe for this yogurt-cucumber sauce with a different flavor profile, I was totally sold.
You simply need a pile of vegetables:
some herbs & spices (ALL ARE OPTIONAL), and a big ol' dollop of yogurt.
Mix and serve! This actually tastes even better as time goes on and the flavors meld together. We ate some of it fresh as a sauce for our Dal, then served the rest as a dip when a friend came over that evening. It pairs perfectly with your favorite Whole Wheat Roti.
Good & Cheap recommends cumin and cayenne, but we actually skipped it since we were pairing it with Dal anyway. We also couldn't find cilantro so we mixed in some parsley. You can really use this recipe as a template and go a little nuts with the modifications and substitutions - one of the reasons I LOVE her cookbook. I'm think of making a garlicky version and a minty version.
Tips: To make things realllly thick and creamy, after cutting the cucumbers, drain them on a paper towel for 10 minutes to extract some of their water. You can also drain the yogurt in cheesecloth or a nutbag to thicken the final dip. (I didn't do any of this, because I wanted to see if it was still good when thinner, and it definitely is!)
And you can still enter the giveaway on the post for Whole Wheat Raita!
Raita - Yogurt & Vegetable Dip (Good & Cheap Cookbook)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- ½ cup chopped tomato
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup yogurt greek or plain
- ¼ teaspoon salt + pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Chop cucumber into small chunks (or grate, if desired), and set on a paper towel to drain while you prepare other ingredients.
- Chop tomato and red onion and mix together with yogurt, salt, pepper, and drained cucumber.
- Add seasonings and fresh herbs (cumin, cayenne, cilantro/parsley) and serve!
- Store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it. It’s delicious fresh, or after a few hours in the fridge.
This raita recipe is perfect for the summertime! So cooling and delish!