aloo ka raita spice box style

Here's a side dish from The Spice Box Vegetarian Indian Cookbook by Manju Shivraj Singh, which despite being published over three decades ago and being currently out of print, still gets great reviews on Amazon.  This particular recipe offers a spicier twist on potato salad.

Potato and Yogurt Salad (Aloo Ka Raita)

2 cups yogurt
3 potatoes, boiled, peeled, chopped
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
salt to taste
1 fresh green chili, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a few mint leaves, chopped

Beat the yogurt with a fork.  Add all the ingredients except the mint.  Refrigerate and serve, garnished with mint leaves.  

As the book's back cover notes, the front cover shows an Indian spice box, or masala dibba.  The box is essentially a can with seven smaller cans inside, generally made of stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.  The six small outer tins on the cover of The Spice Box are filled with tumeric, chilies, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds and fenugreek, with a garam masala blend in the center.  Having such a spice box at the ready makes Indian cooking (and dining) much easier and enjoyable.