Greek cuisine is renowned for its fresh and flavourful dishes, where verdant herbs, tangy citrus fruits, and premium olive oil serve as essential ingredients. Tzatziki encompasses all of these elements, plus velvety yoghurt and cucumber, amongst other seasonings.
It’s simple to prepare in just a few minutes if you possess the straightforward list of ingredients, but a Greek food enthusiast insists nothing surpasses her genuine family recipe. Food writer Georgina Hayden said: “It’s cooling, punchy, and addictive…for Greeks and Cypriots, there aren’t many meals where a bowl of tzatziki doesn’t make a welcome appearance.” The creamy dip is typically served alongside gyros, kebabs, or as part of a meze, but that’s beside the point regarding the recipe, said Georgina.
She clarified that, regardless of how you opt to serve it, it must be thicker than most recipes recommend, according to her mum’s genuine Greek recipe. Georgina revealed that during her childhood, her yiayia (grandmother), Martha, prepared a tub of taramosalata, whilst her mum made the tzatiki.
“Those were the rules. Both ladies are famous for their dips. Make this for your friends and family, and you too can be famous for your tzatziki. It’s a good accolade to have,” she said. Creating the “best of the best tzatziki” is straightforward.
You require the proper ingredients (full-fat Greek yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, dried mint, black pepper, flaky salt, olive oil, fresh lemon juice), and a spare 15 minutes to drain the yoghurt before anything else. Georgina’s family recipe sticks to a straightforward principle: season the yoghurt with a couple of generous pinches of flaky sea salt, then transfer it into a fine-mesh sieve positioned over the bowl.
The yoghurt should be left to drain for a minimum of 15 minutes or refrigerated overnight. The Bon Appétit food writer explained: “The longer you leave it, the creamier your tzatziki will be.”
Once the strained yoghurt is prepared, transfer it into a large mixing bowl and rinse the sieve. For additional creaminess, you can line the sieve with a cheesecloth before straining the yoghurt.
A similar principle applies to the cucumber, which is naturally extremely watery. Cut one cucumber lengthwise down the middle and remove the seeds, then grate the cucumber using a box grater and place into the sieve.
Mix in an additional half teaspoon of flaky sea salt and leave for one hour to drain, stirring periodically to help expel surplus water.
Ingredients
- 454-500g container of full-fat Greek yoghurt
- One garlic clove, peeled and grated
- Flaky sea salt
- One cucumber
- One tsp dried mint
- Black pepper
- Two tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- Fresh mint to serve (optional)
Method
Add half a teaspoon of flaky salt to the yoghurt and strain as instructed. Slice the cucumber and scoop out the seeds, then grate, add half a teaspoon of salt and drain as instructed.
Stir the cucumber into the yoghurt, then peel and finely grate one garlic clove into the mixture. Add one teaspoon of dried mint and a generous grinding of black pepper.
Drizzle in two tablespoons of olive oil and add the lemon juice. Stir everything to combine and season to taste before serving with an extra drizzle of oil and some mint.
Keep in a container in the fridge for up to three days.
