India has so many different states and so many variation to dishes come out of these states. While I was visiting the kumaon hills in Uttarakhand, I got to taste a very unique dish made of dahi called Pahadi Kheere Ka Raita. This raita had a very distinct tangy taste which is given out by mustard seeds which are allowed to release their flavors for about half an hour in the raita before serving. It is also important that the water from the cucumber (kheera) is removed before mixing with dahi to make a thick raita. The raita is nicely decorated with powdered cumin seeds (zeera) and red chili powder and garnished with fresh coriander seeds to make it look more appealing. It goes well with most Indian curries in lunch or dinner and is a great use of a very simple dahi. Let’s see how to make Pahadi Kheere Ka Raita with this recipe.
All you need is (serves 4)
Dahi – 500 gms
Grated cucumber – 1 cup
Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
Green chili – 1 to 2 (cut in small pieces)
Salt to taste
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Zeera powder – 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Pahadi Kheere Ka Raita Recipe
Preparation time: 10 min.
Cooking time: 10 min.
Whip the dahi to make it smooth.
Drain the water from the grated cucumber and mix it well with the whipped dahi.
Use a mortar and pestle to crush the mustard seeds coarsely.
Add green chili, crushed mustard seeds and salt and mix well.
Leave the raita for half an hour.
Decorate the raita with red chili powder and zeera powder.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.
