Radish Greens and Yogurt - Make a Tasty Raita
Thoroughly rinse the radish greens to remove sand and grit. Remove any tough stalks and chop finely. Microwave on Hi for a minute and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, whip the yogurt and stir in the seasonings. Add the cooled radish greens and stir to mix. Serve the zesty Raita with any Indian meal, accompanied by Roti, Naan, Paratha, Pulao, etc. It's also great as a dip for Chips, Quesadillas, etc. Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 Microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl Do not use plastic container for cooking the radish greens.
- 1 microwave oven if not available, cook the radish greens on the stovetop. See Recipe directions for details.
Ingredients
- 50 g Radish greens - rinsed thoroughly and chopped about 1/2 cup, measured after chopping
- 2/3 cup Yogurt (Plain) for vegan Raita - use preferred non-dairy yogurt
- 1/8 tsp Red Chilli powder (Cayenne) adjust as per taste preference
- 1/8 tsp Kala Namak Black Salt; if not available, use regular table salt instead
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Fennel Powder (optional) OK to omit if not available; adds a hint of sweetness to balance the strong radish flavor
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper, freshly crushed preferred
- 2 tsp Dried Mint leaves gently crushed just before adding to yogurt; also OK to use fresh mint leaves (8-10 leaves) - about 1 tbsp finely chopped
Instructions
- Trim the greens from the radish bottoms; discard any yellowing leaves and/or tough stalks. If they seem to be fairly clean, place in a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water, lightly scrubbing each leaf to release any stuck grit or sand. If there seems to be a lot of sand, fill a large pot with cool water and add the radish greens. Swish them around to release sand/grit, which will quickly settle to the bottom, while the leaves float on top. Transfer the leaves to a colander, discard the muddy water and rinse the pot to remove the residual sand from the bottom of the pot. Refill the pot with fresh water and repeat the rinsing/washing process at least 2 more times to ensure that you have removed all the sand.Give a final rinse to the leaves in the colander. Spread on a clean kitchen towel, or use a salad spinner, to remove excess moisture clinging to the leaves.
- Chop the radish greens: First, bunch the leaves together in your fist and slice into thin ribbons. Then turn the cutting board 90 degrees and slice the ribbons again to give finely chopped greens.
- Place the greens in a glass/ceramic microwave-safe bowl and cook on Hi for 1 min. The leaves wilt, turn bright green and reduce in volume significantly (to 3-4 tbsp)If a microwave is not available:Spread the chopped greens on a shallow frying pan, splash a little water (about 1 tbsp), cover and cook on medium-high heat for 2 -3 min. Set aside, away from the hot burner grid, still covered, to cool for a few min. Remove cover after 5-6 min.
- While the cooked greens cool, prepare the Raita base. Whip yogurt till smooth.
- Add the seasonings and the cooled radish greens and stir to distribute evenly.
- Taste-test and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve along with any Indian meal: with Roti, Paratha, Naan, Pulao, Khichadi, etc. Shown here with Mung Dal Khichadi, Papad and spicy pickle.
- It's also great as a dip with chips, crackers, Quesadillas, etc., or as a topping for Falafel-filled Pita pocket sandwiches.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Storing leftovers:
- Refrigerate leftovers in a lidded glass/ceramic container, and consume within 1-2 days.
- Does not freeze well.
Nutrition
Calories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 357mgPotassium: 240mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 118IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 248mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!