Spiced Bottle Gourd Raita with Tempered Ghee

Name: Spiced Bottle Gourd Raita with Tempered Ghee
Ingredients: 1 medium bottle gourd (about 1 lb or 500 grams); 2 cups plain yogurt (about 480 ml); Salt to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black salt; 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder; 1 pinch black pepper powder; 2 pinches dried mint powder; 1 cup water (240 ml); 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional); 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter); 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds; 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

Kavita Pardasani @cook_21116535

A refreshing raita made with bottle gourd and a flavorful ghee tempering. Perfect as a cooling side for lunch.

Kavita Pardasani @cook_21116535

A refreshing raita made with bottle gourd and a flavorful ghee tempering. Perfect as a cooling side for lunch.

Saved

Ingredients

1medium bottle gourd (about 1 lb or 500 grams)
2 cupsplain yogurt (about 480 ml)
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoonblack salt
1/4 teaspoonroasted cumin powder
1 pinchblack pepper powder
2 pinchesdried mint powder
1 cupwater (240 ml)
1/2 teaspoonsugar (optional)
1 tablespoonghee (clarified butter)
1/2 teaspoonwhole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoonKashmiri red chili powder

Saved

Steps

1

Peel and wash the bottle gourd, then grate it.
2

Place the grated bottle gourd in a saucepan with water and cook on low to medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, turn off the heat and set the cooked gourd aside.
3

In a mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth. Add 1 cup water and whisk again. Stir in salt, black salt, black pepper, roasted cumin powder, dried mint powder, and sugar if using. (I like a hint of sweetness in my raita, but you can skip the sugar if you prefer.)
4

Mix everything well. Take the cooked bottle gourd, rinse it twice in fresh water, then squeeze out the excess water and add it to the yogurt mixture. In a small frying pan, heat the ghee, add whole cumin seeds and Kashmiri red chili powder, and pour this tempering over the raita. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then serve cold with lunch.
5

Sprinkle a little more roasted cumin powder and dried mint on top before serving.