I love Yogurt (curd). It is an integral part of my cooking and I use it to thicken curries instead of adding cream and I use it to make the famous Indian condiment "Raita".
There are several ways to make it but the key ingredient in it is Yogurt/Curd/Dahi. I cannot imagine a life that doesn't have this delicious accompaniment with my meals. Not only is extremely delicious it is also super healthy with some good benefits and can help strengthen our immune system. Consuming curd increases the capacity to absorb the nutrients and minerals form other food stuffs and because it has a high calcium content it helps get strong bones and teeth and helps fight against osteoporosis. It helps minimize the risk of high blood pressure.
Apart from it ticking all the boxes as far as health is concerned it is also perfect to use as a mask to apply on your face and hair to help nourish and maintain your body.
I set my curd at home but both D and I don't take curd on its own so I make Raita's and use that as a condiment with our meals. And our favorite one is the Boondi raita.
Boondi is basically small balls of chick pea flour that are mixed with some spices then deep fried. You also get a sweetened version but for the raita we always use Khara Boondi (salted boondi). You also get the unsalted version in supermarkets and Indian shops.
This can be served with almost any Indian dish, especially the spicy curries. If you cannot find Boondi in your local super market you can use finely chopped Cucumber instead and it tastes very good too.
Recipe: (no cooking required, ready under 10 minutes)
1 1/2 Coffee cup chilled greek yogurt/curd
1/2 cup salted Boondi
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp Rock salt (and a bit more if needed)
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Water
freshly ground Pepper
1 tbsp freshly chopped Mint leaves (optional)
Method:
1) Pour the Curd in a bowl, add the Milk and Water and mix everything well.
2) Now add the Cumin powder, Sugar and Rock salt. At this stage I usually taste the curd to make sure the seasoning is ok.
3) Add the Boondi and mix. If the Raita is too thick you add a little water. Sprinkle the freshly chopped mint and Pepper and serve chilled.