CUCUMBER RAITA

Ingredients

Two cucumbers
Half teaspoon of cumin seeds
A pinch of hing
Four fresh curry leaves
Half chilli chopped
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
Half cup of plain yogurt
Method of Cucumber Raita
Peel and grate the cucumber to make the Ayurvedic Cucumber raita. Heat the ghee in a saucepan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing followed by curry leaves. Keep stirring till the seeds start popping. Add the chopped chillies and coriander leaves and take it off the pan. Stir the yogurt and grated cucumber in a bowl. Add the spices to the yogurt mixture, mix well and serve.
Cucumber is cooling and sweet and cucumber raita provokes Kapha. Hence, Kapha people should eat it carefully and should put extra hing and mustard seeds. This Ayurvedic Cucumber raita is easily digestible and works an appetizer.

SPINACH RAITA

Ingredients

Two tablespoon of ghee
One bunch of raw spinach making about four cups
Half teaspoon of black mustard seeds

Half teaspoon of cumin seeds

A pinch of hing
Two tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves
Four fresh curry leaves
Half green chilli chopped
Half-cup ground and roasted peanuts
One-cup plain yogurt
One-fourth teaspoon of salt

Method of Spinach Raita
To prepare the Ayurvedic Spinach Raita, first remove the stems of spinach. Wash the spinach and chop it finely. Keep it aside; heat the ghee in a saucepan, on medium flame. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves followed by hing. Stir gently till the seeds pop out. Add the coriander leaves and chilli and remove it from fire. In a bowl gently mix the spinach, yogurt, peanuts and salt. Add cooled spices, stir and serve.
The spices used in this Ayurvedic Spinach raita will help to remove some of the rough and cooling qualities of spinach. However, Vata and pitta prakriti people should take it occasionally and when needed for medicinal use. Spinach is a good blood purifier. People suffering from kidney stones or gall bladder stones should not take it. It helps in strengthening eyesight like most green vegetables.

TOMATO RAITA

Ingredients

Four cups of fresh tomatoes chopped
Two tablespoon of ghee
Half teaspoon of cumin seeds
Five fresh curry leaves
A pinch of hing
Handful of coriander leaves
A green chopped chilli
One-fourth teaspoon of salt

Method of Tomato Raita
Wash the tomatoes, and chop them not very finely to make the Ayurvedic Tomato Raita. Gently mix it with yogurt and keep it aside. Heat small pan on medium flame and put the ghee. When hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves along with hing. When the seeds pop add the coriander leaves and chilli. Stir for some time and remove from the fire. Pour the spices in to the tomato and yogurt mixture. Add the salt and mix it carefully as it should not mix together fully and the Ayurvedic Tomato raita is ready for serving.

Tomato raita helps in digestion and also adds taste to the food. It is the best example of the right combination of spices and herbs that can help to balance incompatible food.

CARROT RAITA

Ingredients

1 cup of raw carrots

2 tablespoon of ghee

1/2teaspoon of black mustard seeds
A pinch of hing
Handful of cilantro leaves finely chopped
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Method of Carrot Raita
To make the Ayurvedic Carrot, wash the carrots thoroughly and grate it not very finely. Stir the carrots in to the yogurt and mix it gently. Keep it aside. Heat ghee in a small saucepan and to it; add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and then hing. Mix well until the seeds pop up. Then add the chilli and coriander leaves. Remove the saucepan from the fire and pour the cooked spices and the salt in the yogurt and Ayurvedic Carrot raita is ready to serve.
Carrot has pungent and heating qualities, which may provoke pitta. Pitta and kapha prakriti person can use it occasionally. Pregnant woman should not eat it. It is also known to supply good vitamins.

BEETROOT RAITA

Ingredients:

1 cup of Beet peeled and grated

1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds (जीरा)

a pinch of asafoetida (हींग)

1 tsp. of chopped cilantro

1/2 green chilli chopped

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4th tablespoon salt

5 fresh curry leaves

Method:

Add the beet to yogurt & stir gently. On the other side heat the ghee on medium heat in a saucepan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, followed by hing. Wait till seeds pop up. Add the Coriander leaves, curry leaves and chilli. Mix quickly and put off the fire. Cool little and add this to yogurt & beet. Mix it well & serve it. It should be taken in small quantities.

The pungent smell of beet may aggravate pitta but sucha a person can take it occasionally. the spices and other ingredients help yogurt to make it easy to digest. Beets are good for purifying the blood and also works as tonic. It is also good for skin and thus Ayurvedic Beet Raita is quite a beneficiary diet.