{"id":13428,"date":"2020-08-14T14:36:07","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T09:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tashasartisanfoods.com\/blog\/?p=13428"},"modified":"2024-09-27T01:32:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T20:02:09","slug":"tzatziki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tashasartisanfoods.com\/blog\/tzatziki\/","title":{"rendered":"Tzatziki"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It started with dill. Since god willing, my puny herb garden thrives despite my brown thumb; I wanted to plant dill. And, of course, use it in a recipe - Tzatziki<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tzatziki<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The recipe was unquestionably decided. What I couldn\u2019t find was dill, and trust me, I looked up and down, left, right, and center. This is not<\/em> the season for dill here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the recipe was already <\/em>decided! So, I did what I usually do \u2013 tweaked it and made it without dill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fair warning to all the purists: my version of tzatziki may not be authentic, but it tastes just as good.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tzatziki<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The thick, creamy yogurt hinting a tiny tang of sunny lemon mixed with crisp cucumbers and cooling mint, made the tzatziki refreshing and heavenly. The olive oil gave the luscious dip an even more voluptuous flair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s tzatziki?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The perfect condiment for just about everything you can imagine. At least for me. Officially, it is a meze<\/a> \u2013 a simple, creamy and refreshing Greek appetizer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is served chilled and is often used as a spread, dip, sauce or side-dish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Make Tzatziki?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Making tzatziki is intuitive and ridiculously easy. You mix cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, yogurt, dill, and lemon juice, season them, and you\u2019re done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the authentic version. I just replaced dill with mint from my kitchen garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because the preparation is a no-brainer, the recipe doesn\u2019t matter as such. What does make a great Tzatziki is solid ingredients and a few tricks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Begin by grating the cucumber and removing their water. You can squeeze them between your palms or a kitchen towel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This step is crucial because cucumbers are full of water, and any excess water is tzatziki\u2019s enemy. The dip has to be thick. Not watery or runny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, tzatziki\u2019s base is Greek yogurt. That\u2019s what makes the dip so creamy and dense. Regular yogurt is an excellent backup as long as you drain it. If you have full-fat yogurt, even better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I made it with the regular, homemade yogurt and to achieve that beautiful creamy consistency of tzatziki, I hung it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a fine-mesh strainer and spread a cloth on it, preferably muslin. Place the sieve with the kitchen towel over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt on it. Close the edges of the cloth and leave the entire shebang for the water to drain down on the bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Labneh<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t want the yogurt to be as dense as in labneh<\/a>, so it\u2019ll be ready in an hour or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To this thick yogurt, add olive oil. Throw in fresh, finely chopped mint, grated cucumbers, a dash of lemon juice, and salt to taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stir it thoroughly, dip a tasting finger (the temptation is incredibly hard to resist<\/em>), check for taste, and then slide it in the fridge for an hour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tzatziki<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Variations of tzatziki recipe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dill is the common herb for tzatziki, but you can certainly substitute it with any fresh herb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I used mint because my plants were turning into a jungle. But parsley is another great option.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to make vegan tzatziki, use a plant-based yogurt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tzatziki<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Serving Tzatziki<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Always serve tzatziki completely chilled, because that\u2019s when the flavors blend in nicely. Garnish it with a few leaves of the fresh herb of your choice, drizzle some olive and serve it as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n