Tzatziki - the cooling dip

A famous sauce or dip that requires no cooking, only your time. The main ingredient is traditionally strained yogurt where the yogurt has thickened by a process to remove whey and also reduces the sugar content. Although strained yogurt results in thicker consistency, yogurts that have thickeners added can be sold as 'Greek/Greek style yogurt' in the West.

The most important aspect of preparing the dip is to make sure the cucumber has had as much water as possible removed prior to it being added as this dilutes the tzatziki. Of course if you were going to add it as a sauce to a souvlaki then a less thick dip, more of a sauce would be desirable. But in that case its better to use a runnier 'Greek stye yogurt' that hasn't been strained.

I have never been a massive lover of this in the past but I admit when being in a Greek summer, the refreshing and cooling nature of it does make it more tempting and moorish. I do prefer to add more garlic to it but I have to hold back as too much would just turn it into a garlic sauce. In Greece mint and dill are not used and always vinegar instead of lemon juice.

The simplest way to enjoy this is to serve with warm pitta bread.

Starter for 2-3

1/2 cucumber peeled and seedless or seeds removed
250g strained greek yogurt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to season

• Grate the deseeded cucumber into a fine strainer and add big pinch of water to draw out the water. Leave for couple of hours or so and push down with a spoon to push more water through the strainer. Pat dry on a tea towel.
• Combine the crushed/minced garlic with oil in a blender. After giving it a spin add the yogurt, vinegar, some more slat and pepper to season but use a spoon to mix by hand.
• Keep cool in the fridge.
• When serving drizzle some more extra virgin olive oil over the top.