Monday, July 14, 2014

Tzatziki

Yum

A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.


Tzatziki:  A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.



Tzatziki is one of my favorite Greek condiments.  Most often I've had it in gyros or with lamb and pita as a dip.  It is super flavorful and delicious with plenty of cool cucumber and yogurt.  This was my first attempt at making tzatziki and it was very simple and delicious.

Tzatziki:  A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.

One main component of tzatziki is Greek yogurt.  I didn't feel like buying yogurt so I used strained kefir ("a fermented milk drink"-wikipedia).  I always keep kefir on hand and mostly use it in smoothies or as a substitute for buttermilk in baking but it has many uses.  One of these uses is that it makes a great yogurt like substitute when strained.  You just line a mesh colander with a couple layers of cheesecloth or alternatively, I use an old, thin, white t-shirt rag (that's clean).  Then pour in about 3-4 cups of kefir and let it sit and drain until it is thickened to desired consistency.  I place the colander inside a large bowl to catch the liquid being drained off (this is whey and there are many uses for it too so no point in wasting it).  Usually by the time it is the right consistency it has drained off to about 1/2 to 1/3 the original volume and what you are left with is a thickened kefir of yogurt like consistency.  The flavor is a bit different, maybe more sour, but it works in a pinch.  For more information about kefir check out my Tutorial:  How to Make Kefir.

Tzatziki:  A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.

Tzatziki


Ingredients:

2 cups Greek yogurt or strained kefir
2 cucumbers, seeded and shredded
1 lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 tsp dried dill
salt

Tzatziki:  A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.

Place the shredded cucumbers into a cloth lined mesh colander.  Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for about 10-15 minutes.  Then gather the sides of the cloth and twist it around the cucumber squeezing out even more liquid.

Stir together the cucumbers and yogurt with the juice of the lemon.  Add the garlic (I ran the cloves over a microplaine to make a very fine grate so you wouldn't bite into a big chunk of raw garlic) and dill and mix thoroughly.

Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.  Pour off any liquid that accumulates on top and serve as a dip or on sandwiches.

Makes about 6-8 servings.  Enjoy.

Tzatziki:  A deliciously cool and refreshing yogurt dip/sauce made with cucumbers and dill.



Linked to:  Two Cup, Teach Me, Lou Lou Girls, Whimsy Wednesday, Wednesday Roundup, Cook Craft Share, Full Plate, Eat Create Party, Freedom Friday, Pretty Pintastic, Best of the Weekend, See ya in the Gumbo, Much Ado, Tasty Tues, Yuck Stops Here, Plant Based Potluck


Follow Joy Bee's board Joybee Whats for Dinner blog posts on Pinterest.

14 comments:

  1. Mm, I LOVE tzatziki! This recipe looks great. Pinning!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Kat. I love tzatziki too and I was surprised with how simple it is to make. There is no excuse not to always have some in the fridge :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joy, I adore tzatziki too! Looks like the perfect summer condiment :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Amy. It is great for summer... or anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Found you on Teach me Tuesday with this delicious recipe and I'm hoping you'll bring it by The Yuck Stops Here this week! Remember you can always find us at http://mommasangelbaby.com. HUGS

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just love this combination for a dip and we would really enjoy this recipe.

    Thanks for sharing with Full Plate Thursday, I always look forward to your visits!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Cheryl. I used to share at "The Yuck Stops Here" but at some point I lost who to follow to link up. I'm glad you stopped by and I plan to link up this week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks Miz Helen. It is a very delicious combination.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Kim, and thanks for the link party.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Bobbie, I'm flattered. I'll see ya soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So glad you came! And your recipe is perfect for my no-bake roundup! I'll be including it. I adore Tzatziki and I'm pinning and stumbling this! HUGS

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you so much. I can't wait to see the round up.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jessica David, CHCJuly 24, 2014 at 8:02 PM

    Great simple recipe! Found you on Urban Naturale's link up. Pinned! =)

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a quick and easy delight! So great for parties and events too! Thank you so much for sharing this healthy and delicious Tzatziki recipe at the Plant-Based Potluck Party Blog Hop! We will enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete