Can’t get yourself to turn on the stove in August? I’m with you. Here’s a cooling, creamy and delicious way to get your veggies in with an extra dash of protein - just replace regular yogurt with full-fat Greek yogurt in Raita!

Greek yogurt is just regular yogurt that has been additionally strained to remove most of the liquid (mainly whey). It results in a thicker consistency of yogurt with a lot more protein. I love swapping it out for regular yogurt in recipes like this raita, and Avial, to get a protein boost. A little goes a long way.

I used my favorite Maple Hill Creamery Greek yogurt which is 100% grass-fed and unbelievably creamy. Honestly, I couldn’t tell it was Greek yogurt - not even a hint of tartness (and no weird ingredients)! If you don’t have access to quality Greek yogurt, it’s easy to make your own, too - check out this tutorial. And bonus points if you use the strained whey in smoothies!

Greek Yogurt Raita (download recipe card here)

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber or 3 baby cucumbers cucumber(s)[300g]

• 1 large carrot(s)[75g]

• ½ medium red onion[60g] , finely diced

• 1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt [220g]

• 1 green chili(s) (sub jalapeno or thai chili), finely chopped

• Handful fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, finely chopped

• Handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

• ½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste

• ¾ tsp. roasted ground cumin, plus more to taste

• ½ tsp. chaat masala, for garnish

Directions

Step 1. Grate the carrot and cucumber using the smaller holes of a box grater. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the grated cucumber and set aside for 5-10 minutes to draw out water. Squeeze out the water and reserve it for the next step.

Step 2. In a bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt together with 2-3 tablespoons of the cucumber water to bring it to your desired consistency.

Step 3. In a separate bowl, add the grated carrots, cucumber, chopped onions, green chile, cilantro and mint (reserve some cilantro for garnish). Pour the diluted yogurt over the vegetables, add ground cumin and mix. Season with salt to taste.

Garnish with chaat masala, cilantro and serve

Cooking note

A delicious variation is to caramelize the onions on the stove first, using a neutral oil such as avocado oil. You can also add chopped tomatoes or other vegetables of your choice to the raita.