Crus & frais
Coconut yoghurt raita
4 people (small bowl)
The fresh note that answers the fire. When a spiced dish warms — a curry, a khichdi, a carrot velouté — raita comes to balance it: creamy, herbal, lively. This dairy-free version, with coconut yoghurt and tahini, keeps all the comfort and adds a round sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 plain coconut yoghurt, 1 tbsp tahini, the juice of half a lemon
- 1 small grated garlic clove, 1 cucumber deseeded, squeezed dry and grated (or cut into fine spaghetti)
- A few chopped mint leaves, pieces of pineapple (freeze-dried preferably, otherwise fresh or dried)
- Freshly ground pepper, fleur de sel, and a drizzle of coconut oil to finish
Method
Whisk the coconut yoghurt with the tahini, lemon juice and grated garlic until smooth. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. Deseed the cucumber, grate it (or cut it into fine spaghetti), then squeeze it well in a cloth so it does not water down the sauce. Fold it in. At serving time, add the chopped mint and the pieces of pineapple, and finish with a drizzle of coconut oil. Keep cool until served.
The pineapple that aids digestion
Freeze-dried pineapple keeps its bromelain, an enzyme that supports protein digestion — which makes raita an ideal companion to spiced dishes and legumes. The cucumber refreshes, the mint soothes the fire: a side that cares for you as it delights.