Tzatziki
Photo: Robert Kindermann, CC BY-SA 2.5
Tzatziki is a cool yogurt and cucumber sauce that works as a dip or a topping for grilled meat, pitas, and salads. The key is patience with water: yogurt is drained for about three hours and the cucumber is salted, so the finished sauce stays thick instead of weeping into the plate. Four cloves of garlic give it real bite, and a short rest in the refrigerator lets that sharpness settle.
Instructions
Set the yogurt in a sieve or a piece of cheesecloth and let it drain for about 3 hours before you start. This removes the whey and leaves a thick base that will not turn the sauce watery.
Put the diced cucumber in a strainer, sprinkle it with salt, and let it drain so it gives up more of its moisture.
In a bowl, combine the drained yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice if you are using it. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the garlic flavor spreads through the yogurt.
After chilling, add the dill and the cucumber. Mix with a whisk until the sauce is smooth.
Season with salt and white pepper to taste, then serve cold.
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