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.
Ingrédients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
- If you’re in a rush, you can use your hands to squeeze the liquid out of the cucumber.
- The longer the garlic rests in the yogurt, the less sharp bite it will have and the better it will taste.
- 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.
- 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.