Tzatziki
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1½ cup
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsweetened greek yoghurt
  • 1 Lebanese (short) cucumber or half a telegraph cucumber
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Line a sieve or strainer with muslin cloth or two layers of thick kitchen paper towels. Spoon in the yoghurt. Place the sieve over a bowl and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
  2. After 24 hours, remove the bowl from the fridge and discard any liquid that has collected. Turn the hung yoghurt (labne) out into a medium sized bowl.
  3. Remove the muslin or paper towel from the sieve.
  4. Coarsely grate the cucumber and place it into the sieve. Sprinkle over the tbsp of salt and combine well with your fingers. Leave to hang over the sink or a bowl for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Rinse the cucumber well under cold running water, stirring with your fingers to wash away the salt. Transfer the cucumber to a dry tea-towel and squeeze well with your hands to remove and excess water.
  6. Add the cucumber to the bowl with the yoghurt.
  7. Grate the garlic using a fine microplane or the fine side of a grater. Add to the yoghurt.
  8. Finely chop the fresh mint and add to the yoghurt.
  9. Pour in the red wine vinegar and maple syrup and stir all ingredients well to combine.
  10. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  11. Serve with grilled meats, as a dip with meatballs or falafel, or spread on to burger buns as an interesting sauce.
Notes
Delicious when freshly made, the flavour of this wonderful sauce only improves with an hour or so in the fridge before serving. This sauce will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days - if any water separates just stir the sauce to combine it again before serving.
Recipe by The Fare Sage at https://www.thefaresage.com/tzatziki/