Mint Raita (Pudina Raita with Roasted Cumin)

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain full-fat yogurt, chilled
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, washed
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 green chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, grated (optional)
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp black salt (kala namak)
• ¼ tsp red chilli powder, for sprinkling
• 2 tbsp cold water or milk, to loosen
• ½ tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until they smell nutty and darken slightly. Tip them onto a plate to cool.
2. Crush the cooled cumin coarsely in a mortar or spice grinder. Set aside about a quarter for garnish.
3. Put the yogurt in a mixing bowl and whisk for a minute until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Stir in the cold water or milk to reach a thick pourable texture.
4. Finely chop about three-quarters of the mint. Blend or pound the rest with the green chilli and garlic (if using) and 1 tablespoon of the yogurt into a bright green paste.
5. Stir the chopped mint, mint paste, coriander, most of the crushed cumin, salt, black salt and lemon juice into the yogurt until evenly green.
6. Taste and adjust the salt and chilli. Chill for at least 15 minutes so the flavours settle, then top with the reserved cumin and a light sprinkle of chilli powder before serving.

Tips

• Use thick, fresh yogurt. If it is watery, hang it in a clean muslin cloth for 20 minutes first.
• Add the mint just before chilling; if left for many hours the leaves darken and the raita turns dull.
• Blending the mint with a spoon of yogurt, rather than water, keeps the colour bright and the texture creamy.
• Whisk the yogurt on its own first; adding salt to lumpy yogurt makes it harder to smooth out.