Dill and Cucumber Tzatziki
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Thick Greek yoghurt with salted, squeezed cucumber, plenty of dill, lemon and a thread of olive oil, chilled until the garlic softens.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Grate and salt. Coarsely grate the unpeeled cucumber, toss it with 0.25 tsp salt in the sieve and let it sit for 10 min. Salt draws water out of the cucumber cells, so the dip stays thick instead of turning runny in the fridge.
- 2
Wring it dry. Pile the cucumber into the clean tea towel, twist the ends and squeeze hard over the sink. You should end up with a compact, barely damp handful.
- 3
Build the sauce. In the mixing bowl, stir together the yoghurt, garlic paste, chopped dill, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, the remaining salt and the pepper. Fold the cucumber through last so it keeps a little crunch.
- 4
Let it chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 min. Resting lets the sharp garlic spread out and soften, and the yoghurt firms up again once cold.
- 5
Swirl and serve. Spoon the tzatziki into a serving bowl and drag the back of the spoon round to make a shallow swirl. Pool a little olive oil in the hollow and finish with a sprig of dill.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; stir before serving, as a little liquid may collect on top. Do not freeze, as the yoghurt separates. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- box grater
- sieve
- clean tea towel
- mixing bowl
- spoon
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 94 kcal |
| Protein | 5.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3.8 g |
| of which sugars | 2.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 6.6 g |
| of which saturates | 1.9 g |
| Fibre | 0.2 g |
| Salt | 0.42 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
