Mint Raita
Adapted from a recipe by chef Monish Gujral. Gujral is owner of Moti Mahal, a renowned, historic restaurant in Delhi, India. He is author of a number of cookbooks, including The Moti Mahal Cookbook: On the Butter Chicken Trail, and he is Cooks Without Borders’ Indian cuisine expert.
Monish shared this recipe to accompany Goat Biryani or Lamb Biryani. It makes a generous amount — enough to generously complement a whole biryani. Feel free to cut it in half or make one third if you don’t need as much.
Makes about 3 cups.
Ingredients
3 cups whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons dried spearmint
3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Heat a small sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast, shaking the pan now and then, until they are fragrant, about 3 or 4 minutes. Place the toasted seeds in a mortar and grind with a pestle to a powder. Add the powder to the yogurt in the bowl.
3. Put the spearmint in the mortar (no need to wash it first) and grind it to a powder. Add it to the yogurt and cumin, along with the salt and 1/4 cup water. Whisk to combine, taste and add salt, if necessary.
Mint Raita
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dried spearmint
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Heat a small sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast, shaking the pan now and then, until they are fragrant, about 3 or 4 minutes. Place the toasted seeds in a mortar and grind with a pestle to a powder. Add the powder to the yogurt in the bowl.
- Put the spearmint in the mortar (no need to wash it first) and grind it to a powder. Add it to the yogurt and cumin, along with the salt and 1/4 cup water. Whisk to combine, taste and add salt, if necessary.