Tzatziki

August 7, 2014

Tzatziki - kvalifood.com

Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt, cucumber, and garlic dip. It is served as a meze with bread, alongside souvlaki and grilled meats, or as a sauce for gyros. The keys are thick strained yogurt, thoroughly squeezed cucumber, and garlic crushed to a paste with salt. Wet cucumber is the enemy – squeeze it hard.

Makes ca. 2.5 cups

Ingredients

500 g full-fat strained Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber (ca. 300 g), peeled, seeded, and grated
2-3 cloves garlic (ca. 10-15 g), crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp chopped fresh dill (optional)

Directions

Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds. Grate on the coarse side of a box grater. Toss with 1/2 tsp salt and let sit in a sieve or colander for 15-30 minutes.
Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.
Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt using the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle until smooth.
Combine the olive oil and garlic paste in a bowl and stir to blend.
Add the squeezed cucumber and yogurt. Mix well. Add red wine vinegar (start with 1 tbsp, taste, add more if needed). Season with salt and pepper.
Fold in the dill if using.
Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavor improves with resting.
Serve drizzled with olive oil. Pairs with warm pita, souvlaki, grilled meats, or raw vegetables.

Notes

Best eaten the same day or the next. After 1-2 days the garlic can develop a bitter edge.
If you only have unstrained yogurt, line a sieve with cheesecloth, add the yogurt, and drain in the fridge 2-4 hours until thick.
The Cypriot version (talatouri) uses fresh or dried mint and lemon juice instead of vinegar.
For milder garlic, use 2 cloves. For punchier, go up to 4.