Tzaziki

Ever heard of tzaziki? Came across the recipe in my mom-in-law’s Continental cookbook. Tzaziki is a traditional Greek condiment / sauce made with either plain yogurt or sour cream served with plain or toasted pita bread, salads and other Mediterranean specialties. At its best, tzaziki is a thick, tangy sauce with a little bit of spiciness.
This dish is a wonderful summer treat. The main ingredients being yogurt & cucumber with addition of chopped garlic and salt & pepper. The best tzaziki takes a few hours to prepare, so be sure that you have plenty of time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers
• 400 gms / 2 cups yogurt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, skinned & finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• diced & round slices of cucumbers, for garnishing
• lemon wedges, for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Pour yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander / strainer (to drain the excess water) and collect the firm & thick yogurt for the tzaziki base. Allow the yogurt to drain for 30-45 mins).
2. Meanwhile wash, peel and roughly dice the cucumber. Put the diced cucumber into a colander / strainer, sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 30 mins (to draw the juices). Rinse and drain well.
3. Transfer the strained yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped garlic, mint and coriander leaves. Add lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper and mix well.
4. Place the diced cucumber in serving bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the cucumber.
5. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for atleast one hour (so that the flavours mingle thoroughly). Drizzle olive oil on top before serving.
6. Serve as a dip / sauce with toasted bread, grilled chicken / fish. You can even use this as a spread on bread.

Tips:

1. It is best to refrigerate the yogurt while it is draining.
2. If possible, refrigerate the final tzaziki overnight and enjoy the following day.
3. If you don’t want to go through the process of straining yogurt you can use sour cream instead.
4. Prepare tzaziki with low fat or nonfat yogurt (if you are watching your weight!).

Sending this to the AFAM: Cucumber event hosted by Neha of Tasty Recipes.