Tzatziki – Greek Yogurt Dip

Summer is almost on its way out in my part of the world, but just beginning to really set in in so many other places! When it’s sweltering outside and you break a sweat just walking from one room to another, can anything, anything be better than bumming out on your couch, dipping a chip into a cold, yogurt-y dip and watching the world go by?

Tzatziki is the answer to all of summer’s awful heat. Cold, tangy and bursting with flavour, this will take anything you pair it with up several notches! Though it undoubtedly is great party food, don’t feel guilty if you want to make a big bowl of this so it can keep you company while you roll around in bed, watching sitcoms. I may or may not be speaking from personal experience here.

All of the stuff you need to make tzatziki is probably sitting in your refrigerator RIGHT NOW. Here’s everything. See? So easy!

Chop up the cucumber. Pop it into a colander or strainer, so it can drain all its water. Help it along by adding a couple of pinches of salt.

Once it’s all drained out, pat it dry between paper towels. You know, just to be totally sure it won’t loosen up the dip.

Whip up the greek yogurt and throw in everything. See that little blob in the left corner? That’s the garlic, all minced up. You want that really fine!

Mix it all together till they’re all one body, one soul. Top it off with some fresh or dried parsley and pop it into the refrigerator for a couple of hours. At least, that’s what you should ideally do. If you can wait no longer, go ahead and slurp it up!

---

TZATZIKI

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 1 mins | Makes 1 cup

1 cup thick unflavoured greek yogurt or labneh (stay away from fat-free!)
1 small cucumber
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, to taste

• Deseed and finely chop 1 small cucumber. Place the chopped cucumber in a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a bowl. Add a pinch or two of salt to it and let the water drain for 20-30 minutes. Check in between and help it along by lightly pressing the cucumber with the back of a spoon. Once the water has drained, use your hands to squeeze any residual water out of the cucumber.
• Now fold together 1 cup thick greek yogurt, the chopped cucumber, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic and salt till well combined.
• Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more of whatever you like. Chill for at least 2 hours to let the flavours combine.
• To serve, transfer to a bowl, garnish with dried or finely chopped fresh parsley and serve with sea-salt chips or toasty pita wedges!

ADAPTATIONS & HACKS

• You can use ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup greek yogurt to make tzatziki. It’s not traditional but it tastes pretty great!
• Use it as a dip for anything from chips to any spicy snack that needs a little something by way of coolness – kebabs, fritters etc. go really well with tzatziki!
• Use it as a condiment in wraps and burgers to add a nice tang!