This raita is from one of my ancient, falling apart cookbooks, Madhur Jaffrey’s Eastern Vegetarian Cooking, where it goes by the name courgettes in yoghurt. In our house it’s called zucchini raita. Jaffrey claims she eats it by the spoonful by itself and this I can believe. It’s a mellow, mildly spiced raita that’s extremely moreish so beware you don’t eat too much of it and have none left for dinner. In the summer when zucchinis are in glut serve it with some chapatis, chickpeas and pickle and you’ll have a simple and satisfying feast.

Zucchini raita

Adapted from Eastern Vegetarian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

• 2 medium size zucchinis (courgettes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
• 1 medium onion
• 3 tablespoons of light olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups (350 mls) yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar (optional)
• 6 fresh curry leaves (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1. Grate zucchini coarsely, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain in a colander for half an hour.
2. Beat yogurt with a fork in a bowl until creamy and smooth.
3. Finely slice onion in half moons.
4. Heat oil in 20cm frying pan. Throw in curry leaves and mustard seeds When mustard seeds pop add onion. Saute onion until translucent and tender.
5. While onion is frying squeeze as much liquid as possible out of zucchini. The zucchini will clump up a bit, gently separate out the clumps before adding to the onion and saute onion and zucchini for about three minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before stirring through yoghurt. Taste and add extra salt, sugar and black pepper according to taste.