Authentic Tzatziki sauce
Tzatzíki is a Greek and Turkish mezze that can be used as a sauce or as a starter. The word is said to be derived from the Turkish cacık which means a kind of condiment. The Turkish recipe is often more liquid than the Greek recipe. In Cyprus, tzatziki is also called talatouri by the Greek Cypriots.
- 1 8 oz container of Greek yogurt
- 1 cup grated cucumber (about 1 small cucumber ) (200-250) g
- 2 small clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon of fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt or use cacher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and add the yogurt. Put it in the fridge and let the liquid drain for 1 to 2 hours.
Squeeze the liquid from the grated cucumber with a kitchen towel or rich potatoes. You can also place it in a colander first and sprinkle it with salt to help extract the liquid.
Combine all the ingredients and store them in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Keep up to a week in the refrigerator.
Transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Serve chilled with pita bread for dipping.
- For a vegan tzatziki and a dairy free tzatziki, use coconut milk yogurt instead of the Greek yogurt.
- Make sure your grated cucumber is well-drained. If you have time, you can drain it in cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve overnight. I prefer the sieve as you can use it over and over.
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If you’re in a rush, you can use your hands to squeeze the liquid out of the cucumber.
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The longer the garlic rests in the yogurt, the less sharp bite it will have and the better it will taste.
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For best results, combine all of the ingredients except for the cucumber and dill, then let it rest overnight in the fridge while your cucumber is draining.
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Add the dill at the last minute so it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the flavors.
Also, if you are looking for a vegan tzatziki sauce or a dairy free tzatziki sauce, then just use coconut milk yogurt instead of Greek yogurt.
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