Kakdi Raita with Papad

Name: Kakdi Raita with Papad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 3 cups (720 g) full-fat yoghurt, chilled and whisked smooth; 2 medium cucumbers (kakdi — the small Indian variety), grated (squeeze out all water first); 1 tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely crushed; ½ tsp red chilli powder (for the top); ½ tsp black salt (kala namak) — gives raita its characteristic funky depth; ½ tsp salt; 2 tbsp fresh coriander; 5–6 fresh mint leaves, finely torn; 1 tsp oil; ½ tsp mustard seeds; 5 curry leaves; 1 dry red chilli; 2 urad dal papads, roasted on direct flame until puffed and lightly charred; 2 Punjabi masala papads, roasted; 2 rice papads (sabudana or rice flour), roasted; Squeezing ALL water from the cucumber is the most important step — even a tablespoon of residual water makes the raita watery and bland within 10 minutes; Black salt (kala namak) is essential for the authentic raita flavour — its sulphurous, funky note is what makes Indian raita different from plain yoghurt; Papads must be served immediately after roasting — they absorb moisture and soften within 5 minutes

🟢 Veg📊 Easy

A complete light summer dinner — chilled thick yoghurt with grated cucumber, roasted cumin, fresh coriander and tempering; served with 2–3 different types of freshly roasted papads and rice. A Pune Brahmin household dinner for hot summer evenings or fasting day breaks.

⏱️15 minPrep

🔥5 minCook

🕒20 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Kakdi Raita with Papad

Prepare cucumber (No heat): Grate cucumbers on the large side of a box grater. Squeeze out ALL water from grated cucumber using your hands — this prevents the raita from becoming watery. Squeeze repeatedly until no more liquid comes out.
Combine (No heat): Whisk yoghurt until smooth. Add squeezed cucumber, roasted crushed cumin, black salt, regular salt, coriander and mint. Stir to combine.
Tadka (Heat: medium): Heat 1 tsp oil in a tiny tadka pan. Crackle mustard seeds. Add curry leaves — crackle 5 seconds. Add dry red chilli — 5 seconds. Pour immediately over the raita. Stir slightly — the sizzle of the hot tadka meeting cold raita is part of the experience.
Chill: Refrigerate 20 minutes for a colder, more set raita.
Roast over gas flame: Hold each papad with tongs directly over a medium gas flame, rotating constantly for 20–30 seconds until the papad puffs and develops golden and dark spots all over. It should be completely crisp and dry. Serve immediately — papads soften within minutes.
Serve: Mound of jeera rice on the plate. Bowl of kakdi raita on the side. Two or three roasted papads standing upright alongside. Eat raita and rice together, breaking pieces of crisp papad into the mixture.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 320 kcal | 14 g | 44 g | 10 g | 3 g | A raita-papad-rice dinner is the standard summer evening meal in educated, middle-class Pune and Mumbai households — cooling, light, and fast to make on warm nights when heavy cooking feels oppressive. The papad selection (always 2–3 varieties) is an important ritual — each has a different texture and flavour. Pune's Brahmin households particularly associate this meal with Shravan month, when many avoid meat and heavy spices. ---

Track the macros of Kakdi Raita with Papad and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.