Indian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Lauki Raita

Grated bottle gourd briefly steamed, then stirred cold into yogurt with roasted cumin and coriander.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g lauki (bottle gourd, or zucchini)
• 500 g yogurt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 green chili
• 1/2 bunch coriander
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• Salt

Instructions

1. Peel the bottle gourd, coarsely grate it, and steam covered with 100 ml water in a small pot for 8 min until the shreds are translucent and soft.
2. Transfer the shreds to a sieve, let cool completely, and squeeze firmly by hand so the raita doesn't turn watery later.
3. Toast the cumin in a dry pan for 1–2 min until nutty and fragrant, then crush in a mortar.
4. Whisk the yogurt smooth, stir in the finely chopped chili, chopped coriander and two-thirds of the roasted cumin, and season with salt.
5. Fold in the squeezed gourd and chill the raita for at least 20 min so the flavors come together.
6. To serve, sprinkle with the remaining cumin and the Kashmiri chili powder, and serve ice-cold alongside spicy curries.