Tzatziki sauce

Ingredients

• 500 g thick whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
• 300 g firm fresh cucumber
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 3 tbsp Greek extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 0.5 bunches fresh dill
• 1 tsp fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper

Method

1. Wash the cucumber, trim the ends, then coarsely grate it with the skin on if the skin is thin and not bitter. Place it in a colander, salt it with some of the salt, toss, and let it drain until it releases clear water and the flesh feels supple but still fresh.
2. Squeeze the drained cucumber between your hands or in a clean kitchen towel. You have done it properly when almost no water runs out and the cucumber forms a moist but not waterlogged mass.
3. Peel the garlic, remove the germ if it is green, then crush it very finely in a mortar or garlic press. It should become almost creamy, with no large raw pieces that would overpower the sauce.
4. Put the Greek yogurt in a chilled bowl. Add the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, squeezed cucumber, finely chopped dill, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir gently with a spoon until you have a thick white sauce flecked with green that holds in a mound on the spoon.
5. Taste and adjust carefully: tzatziki should be fresh, milky, garlicky, and lightly tangy, without being as salty as brine. If the garlic seems too sharp, let it rest rather than adding more yogurt right away.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least long enough for the flavors to meld. Before serving, stir once more; if a little water has risen to the surface, incorporate it only if the texture remains thick; otherwise, drain it off gently.
7. Serve well chilled in a shallow bowl, with a drizzle of olive oil on the surface and a few dill fronds. The expected texture is creamy, dense, and slightly granular from the cucumber, never runny.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

190.7 kcal

Protein

5.7 g

Carbohydrate

9.11 g

Fat

13.87 g

Fibre

1 g

Calcium

11.79 mg

Iron

0.23 mg

Magnesium

5.89 mg