According to author of Classic Indian Cooking, Julie Sahini, “an Indian meal, especially a vegetarian meal, is never considered complete without a dish containing yogurt, a primary source of protein” in India. Enter raita .

Raita is an Indian yogurt salad that is served as an accompaniment to nearly every Indian dish out there. It’s refreshing coolness compliments the pungent, savory flavors of Indian food and pleasingly rounds out the meal.

You can add almost any vegetable to raita, but cucumbers and tomato might be the most popular combination.

1 1/2 cups Del Marie yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, grated and drained of water
1 medium tomato, seeded and sliced very thinly
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground toasted cumin seeds*
2 T. finely chopped fresh mint, or cilantro leaves, or 2 tsp. dry mint leaves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)

Strain the yogurt for about an hour in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a towel, or without a liner over a very fine mesh strainer. Whisk the strained yogurt until smooth, then gently stir in the remaining ingredients.

* It takes just a minute to toast cumin seeds on a small, dry saute pan on the stove top…then grind them in a spice grinder. Or, just toast some ground cumin in the same way.

- daphne