Tzatziki Dip

How to make your own.

Go to any Supermarket in Cyprus and you will see on display trays of dips available for purchase: Taramosalata, Houmous, Melitzanosalata (aubergine dip), Tahini, and of course Tzatziki. Well they are the first part of any Meze, aren’t they?

But for a really superb Tzatziki, make you own. I’ll tell you a secret for preparing it to perfection!

You need few ingredients:

200 gms of Greek plain, strained yogurt from sheep and goats milk

1 small cucumber

3 sprigs of fresh mint

4 cloves of garlic

Salt, pepper, nutmeg, a squeeze of lemon

Optionally, a black olive or two to garnish on the top.

Method:

Slice your cucumber in two lengthways, and scoop out the seeds. Salt well to draw out the water and leave for 10 minutes then add a bit more salt and turn over. Put about a dozen leaves of mint on a chopping board with two of the garlic cloves. Pat the cucumber dry and add to the other ingredients on the chopping board. Chop all very finely. More liquid will be produced. Pat it dry with kitchen towel. You need to drain well. That is the secret about which I was telling. Stir your mix into the yogurt. Pass the rest of your garlic through a garlic press and stir into the mixture also. Grind a bit of pepper and sprinkle some nutmeg powder. Squeeze a little lemon juice over it all. Some people add a few drops of olive oil too. Make pretty with a black olive or two. Some people use dill instead of mint. I think mint is much nicer.