Name: Cucumber Raita with Black Mustard and Cilantro
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 tablespoon sunflower or other neutral oil; 1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds; 3 Persian cucumbers; 3 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for serving; Kosher salt; Kashmiri chili powder or paprika (for serving)

Image may contain Food Pizza and Seasoning

Photo by Peden + Munk

While this cooling yogurt sauce recipe is welcome alongside spicy foods, it is also amazing slathered on flatbreads or spooned over basmati rice. This recipe is from Gunpowder, an Indian restaurant in London.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

59 Diwali Recipes for a Bright, Festive, and Sweet Holiday
Whether you're looking for the classics—such as gulab jamun, carrot halwa, and jalebi—or you're interested in finding some new dishes to add to your Diwali feast, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth *and* ensure you get something savory to eat, too.
47 Incredible Indian Recipes
Indian food is as vast and varied as the subcontinent itself; these 47 recipes are just a starting point.

Yogurt and Cucumber Soup

This luscious chilled yogurt soup, packed with fresh and dried mint, is an incredibly refreshing and cooling appetizer during the summer.

Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Creamy and bright with just a subtle bit of heat, this five-ingredient, make-ahead dip is ready for company—just add crudités.

Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce

Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?

Cucumber and Avocado Salad Bean Dip

Consider this dish—made with refried beans and crunchy vegetables—an affirmative answer to the question, “Can dip be dinner?”

Baked Butter Paneer

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Green Chutney Chicken

Cilantro and a handful of basic spices brings vibrant green color and rich flavor to broiled chicken thighs. Served with rice or naan, this is a weeknight win.

Crispy Tofu With Scallion-Ginger Sauce

The tofu is crunchy on the outside, in part thanks to a panko-studded exterior, and squishy-in-a-good-way on the inside. It also comes together in 20 minutes.

Recipe notes

59 Diwali Recipes for a Bright, Festive, and Sweet Holiday

47 Incredible Indian Recipes