Khamang Kakadi

An Indian Thali ,it be from any part of India,is a perfect example of balance.
Not only is it balanced nutritionally,but also has a perfect balance in taste and texture. And a very humble ,yet inevitable component of any thali is the salad or raita ,made with chopped vegetables and yogurt ,and many a times made with fruits like pineapple or boondi( a savoury item , made with gram flour).
The raita not only balances out the spice from the curries ,but also adds a fresh crunch!
And for those struggling with weighty issues, our indian raitas are a best bet! Add a katori of raita to your meal , and you are full. That will take care of your appetite and your extra calorie intake , as it shall prevent you from feasting on that extra roti. And its healthy and low fat too, especially when you make it with onions,tomatoes , cucumbers and carrots and a low fat yogurt.

Khamang Kakadi is a traditional marathi raita or koshimbir ,made with Cucumbers and yogurt and tempered with oil/ghee.
It used to be my motivation to come to dinner table ,when there used to be not so favourite subjis like patta gobis or lauki's.

Ingredients:
2-3 Medium Cucumbers .
2-3 tbsp Yogurt
1 tsp namak Shamak
2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Coarsely Crushed Roasted Peanuts
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
1 Green chilly chopped

For tempering:
1 tsp Oil/Ghee
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
2-3 Curry leaves

Grate the cucumbers and place them in a bowl,without draining or squeezing out the water.
Add yogurt , salt ,sugar ,green chilly and coriander leaves and mix.
Add crushed peanuts and mix.
Heat oil and add cumin and mustard seeds. When they splitter, add curry leaves and pour the tempering over the cucumber yogurt mixture.
You can add 1/4 tsp jeera powder for extra taste.
Serve chilled.