Annapurna: 5 types of Maharashtrian Koshimbir / Raita Recipes

Summer's are in and I am here with 5 refreshing Koshambir varieties. Koshimbir is Marathi is basically a salad which can be yogurt based (Raita) or non-yogurt based. Today, I am sharing 5 yogurt based recipes, basically Raita recipes that can be served as a side dish to any veg or non-veg meals. All the 5 raita recipes are easy to make , healthy and delicious and make a wonderful pair with spicy rice dishes or paratha. You can simply dig into a cooling bowl of any of this raitas on its own as a salad. The 5 raita recipes that we are going to learn are, Palakachi Koshimbir (Spinach Raita), Gajarachi Koshimbir (Carrot Raita), beetroot chi Koshimbir (Beetroot pachadi ), Dudhi chi Koshimbir (Lauki / Bottle gourd Raita) and Kakdi, Kanda , Tomato chi Koshimbir (Cucumber, onion, tomato raita).

What is a Koshimbir ?

Raita is a curd based dish and forms an integral part of any Indian thali (platter) and this holds true with a typical Maharashtrian platter as well. Our everyday meals are incomplete without a bowl of koshimbir as a side dish. In Maharashtrian Cuisine, a koshimbir is a salad dish that can be made either with curd/ yogurt or without it. Variety of vegetables or fruits are added to the seasoned curd to make a koshimbir and it may be tempered or kept plain. Usually little sugar is added to almost all the koshimbir dishes with curd. Vegetables may be either added raw like in the Kakdichi Koshimbir or cooked like the Doodhichi Koshambir. I like to have my koshimbir with waran bhat (dal chawal).

Video Recipe for 5 types of Maharashtrian Koshimbir

Palakachi Koshimbir (Spinach Raita) : A simple yet flavorful raita with healthy goodness of spinach and yogurt. It has a distict flavor coming from garlic, a nutty flavor and bite from the added roasted peanut powder. You can serve palak raita with any rice dish of your choice. It can also be served as a side dish with paratha or poori.

Ingredients:

1 small bunch of fresh Spinach leaves
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 green chili
1 1/2 cup homemade fresh curd
1/2 teaspoon oil
Rock salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1 tablespoon roasted peanut powder

Method:

Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves and tender stems and chop finely.
Crush garlic and green chilies in a mortar and pestle.
Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a pan on medium flame
Add the crushed garlic and green chili to it and saute for 30 seconds.
Next tip in shredded spinach leaves with a pinch of rock salt and saute until they begin to wilt, say about a minute.
Put off the flame and allow the cooked spinach to cool down.
In a mixing bowl, add curd and whisk it until it becomes smooth and lump free.
Add the wilted spinach to it followed by roasted cumin powder, a bit of salt and coarsely ground peanut powder.
Give it a good mix.
Our flavorful spinach raita or Palakachi Koshimbir is ready to serve.
You may sprinkle roasted cumin powder and red chili powder over the raita just before serving.

Doodhi Chi Koshimbir / Lauki Raita : Doodhichi Koshimbir is a healthy and refreshing side dish from the Maharashtrian Cuisine made with steamed bottle gourd and yogurt. Bottle gourd is called doodhi and koshimbir is a salad with our without yogurt in Marathi, so basically doodhichi koshimbir is a bottle gourd in yogurt dish also called as Lauki Raita in Hindi. This raita is mildly sweet and sour in taste and gets a lovely taste from the flavorful ghee tempering of spices and herbs. This is a gluten-free and onion-garlic free recipe which serves as a delicious side dish to rice dishes like Biryani and Pulao and also goes well with paratha or Sabudana Khichadi. The recipe is very simple and requires a few basic ingredients. Doodhichi Koshimbir is one of the flavorful ways of including the healthy goodness of bottle gourd into your daily diet and best part is that it is great for weight watchers as well. Click here for the detailed recipe.

Gajarachi Koshambir / Carrot Raita : A very simple yet flavorful carrot raita made using red juicy delhi carrots with seasoned yogurt. You can have this raita with or without tempering.

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, washed, peeled and grated
1 1/2 cup thick yogurt / curd
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
Rock salt to taste
2 tablespoon coarsely ground roasted peanut powder
1 teaspoon of oil for tempering (optional)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves

Method:

In a large mixing bowl add curd, season it with salt and sugar and whisk it until smooth and creamy using balloon whisker.
Add grated carrot, green chilies, roasted cumin powder and roasted peanut powder to it and give a good mix.
Our Carrot raita is ready to serve. I have tempered the raita .
Heat 1 teaspoon oil . Add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds splutter and curry leaves and put off the flame.
Pour this tempering over the carrot raita and give it a good mix.

Kakdichi Koshambir / Cucumber Raita : Just the addition of finely chopped cucumber, onion, tomatoes , green chilies and coriander to thick home made curd seasoned with sugar and salt gives a refreshing summer treat. Click here for the detailed recipe

Beet chi Koshambir / Beetroot Raita : With a very appealing color , this beetroot raita is healthy and flavorful with distinct flavor coming from fresh scrapped coconut. Click here, for the detailed recipe.

Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Koshambir recipes. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

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See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !

Happy Cooking !