good-and-cheap

$2 .50 t o t a l$1.25 / c u p$ 3.50 t o t a l$1.75 / c u pi d e a sPizzaf164l a v o r164Raitam a k e s t w o c u p s1 cup cucumber, chopped½ cup tomato, chopped¼ cup red onion, chopped1 cup yogurt1 tsp cumin powder½ tsp cayenne powder2 tbsp fresh cilantro, choppedsalt and peppera d d i t i o n s1 tbsp ginger, grated2 tbsp mint¼ cup chickpeascooked spinachRaita is a traditional Indian sauce served with all kinds of things. It’ssimple and surprisingly tasty. Spoon it onto chana masala (p. 93), thepotato and kale rolls (p. 84), or anything spicy to cool things down.This recipe is extremelyloose. Basically, just stirsome of your favoritechopped vegetables intoyogurt and add saltand pepper. Use thisas a stepping stone todevelop your own.After you stir all theingredients together,store the raita in acovered container inthe fridge until you’reready to use it.Tzatzikim a k e s t w o c u p sIf you’re in a hurry, you don’t have to strainthis at all: you can just mix the ingredientstogether. However, removing the water fromthe cucumber and yogurt intensifies the flavor.Your patience will be rewarded by a thick saucethat gives you a new perspective on cucumbers.2 cups yogurt1 large cucumber, grated1 tsp salt2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped2 scallions, finely choppedsalt and pepperGrate the cucumber and place it in a sieve overa large bowl. Salt the cucumber and mix itaround. Leave it for 30 minutes to 2 hours,occasionally pressing the cucumber gently intothe sieve to get the liquid out. The salt will helpleach the water out of the cucumber.Line another sieve (or the same one, cleaned)with paper towel or cheesecloth and pour theyogurt into it. You can leave it for as little as1 hour on the counter or overnight in thefridge. The longer you leave it, the thicker it willget. This is how Greek yogurt is made!Mix the strained cucumber with the yogurtand the other ingredients, then taste. Adjust thesalt and pepper and add any more dill or onion.Enjoy on sandwiches, as a dip, with pita ortortilla chips, or over meatballs, kebabs oranything spicy.f l a v o r165