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Cooling Summer Recipes: Cucumber Raita

This classic Indian condiment makes the perfect cooling side dish for your summer spread.
Picture of Jana Kilgore

Jana Kilgore

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Yogurt-based condiment with herbs, spices and cucumber close-up in a bowl on a table. Horizontal top view from above.

Hot, sharp, and intense. These are the most dominant qualities of the summer season according to Ayurveda, one of the oldest healing systems in the world. This summer is no different, and depending on where you live, you may have already seen record breaking temperatures this year. Depending on your constitution (dosha in Sanskrit) you may be loving the heat or trying to escape it. 

Ayurveda encourages us to live in harmony with the cycles of nature and seek balance with it. Just as eating warming and heavier foods in winter can be beneficial, eating lighter and more cooling foods in summer helps us create a greater personal harmony, which radiates through our lives and beyond. 

Some of the best cooling foods grow in abundance during the summer months. Fruits, melons, cucumbers, leafy greens, and fresh herbs to name a few. According to both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, meats are more heating while legumes and grains, such as rice, are more cooling. Fresh dairy, coconut, and avocado are also recommended as well as plenty of water and hydrating liquids. Food and drinks that are heating and dehydrating should be avoided such as alcohol, caffeine, and spicy, heavy foods. Summer is the time to savor the sweet, bitter, and astringent flavors which are found in the fresh vegetables and fruits of the season. 

Heat is one of the most intense experiences humans have, and it hits everyone a little differently. If you are seeking some ways to stay cooler and calm your mind and heart this summer, give these recipes a try. 

Cucumber Raita 

This is a classic Indian condiment that goes well with the kitchari burgers or with a salad. I like to add some lime zest for a little burst of bright citrus. 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup yoghurt or coconut yoghurt for dairy free option
  • ½ cup cucumbers, diced
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaf, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 pinch of sea salt and black pepper

Preparation

  1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. 
  2. Serve and enjoy!
Picture of Jana Kilgore

Jana Kilgore

Jana Kilgore is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher, private chef, and guide living in Hawaii after many years of practice and teaching in Michigan and the Bay Area. Since her teens, she has been using food, plants, and meditation as medicine, and has dedicated her life to empowering people to take back their health and happiness through the gifts of yoga, Ayurveda, and nature. She specializes in digestive issues, autoimmune disorders, hormonal health, mental health, trauma and recovery, and recently added postpartum support to her practice. Jana teaches Ayurveda for yoga teachers in various trainings and also yoga teacher trainings in Yosemite with Balanced Rock Foundation. When she isn't teaching, cooking, or working with clients, she is working on a book, slowly learning to surf, or out on a trail!

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