Yogurt Tomato Cooler
Submitted by kellyjo
Toasted cumin and garlic stirred into cool yogurt with fresh tomatoes, green onions, and chopped mint. This chilled Indian-style raita is the condiment that tames spicy curries and livens up grilled meats.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
3 hrsEvery fiery curry needs a cool sidekick, and this yogurt tomato cooler plays the role to absolute perfection.
It starts with a quick bloom of cumin seeds and garlic in warm oil, which unlocks a toasty, nutty aroma that plain ground spices just can’t match. Once cooled, that fragrant oil gets stirred into yogurt along with paprika, chopped fresh tomatoes, green onions, and a generous scattering of mint.
Chill it for a few hours and the flavors meld into something cool, tangy, and deeply savory. Spoon it alongside biryani, tikka, kebabs, or honestly just scoop it up with warm naan.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the cumin seeds and garlic gently over low heat. You want them fragrant and lightly golden, not dark and bitter.
- Let the garlic-cumin oil cool completely before adding to the yogurt. Hot oil will curdle the yogurt instantly.
- Chop the tomatoes fine and drain any excess juice so the cooler stays thick and scoopable instead of watery.
- This tastes best after a few hours in the fridge, but it keeps well for up to two days.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in a small saucepan.
Add garlic and cumin seeds and cook very gently 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool.
In a bowl, combine cooled garlic mixture, yogurt, paprika and stir well.
Add tomatoes, green onions, chopped mint, salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into a serving bowl and chill several hours.
Garnish with mint sprigs.
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