Raita

As much as I love to cook and as much as I try to avoid prepackaged foods, there are some days that I just don't have the time or energy to make anything from scratch. And then there are some foods that I actually prefer in the packaged form.

Take, for instance, chana masala.

When I first discovered chana masala (via Cafe Spice), I was hooked. I was going through my vegetarian phase, and chana masala seemed to be a healthy and filling option. I didn't want to get take-out all the time so I tried to make it myself--with disappointing results. I've noticed that this is a common theme in my culinary life. Many of my earlier attempts at cooking have been rather disastrous; instead of trying again, I would give up entirely, as I did in this case, forsaking any more chana masala.

Enter Trade Joe's and Whole Foods. Not too long ago, I discovered that they carried prepackaged chana masala (and other types of Indian food) that was the perfect dinner portion for me, required only a few minutes of heating, and was inexpensive (i.e. less than $4). And it was delicious.


To sort of counteract my guilt at loving these prepackaged meals, I started to make raita. This way, I felt like I was actually "making" dinner, as opposed to heating it up or ordering it. It was also a great accompaniment to the spicy chana masala, helping to keep the heat down.


I make a super simple version--just yogurt (I like Greek because it is so thick and keeps the raita thicker; I hear it is better to use full-fat yogurt but I'm ok with the nonfat stuff); chopped cucumbers; chopped cilantro and a little salt. Other spices that could be added are cumin, cayenne, mint.


Give everything a stir and serve.


Whether I order take-out or "make" a heat-and-serve version, I try to add a little something personal to the meal--like in this case, raita. I don't mind the effort to make it either because it's really no effort at all. When it's fresh, it tastes so much better; I love how well it goes with certain types of curries; and it is a fairly quick and simple way to liven up a non-homemade meal.