Greek Yogurt Sauce

The main ingredients of Greek yogurt sauce are: Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice or vinegar and garlic. Sometimes it can be complemented with parsley, pepper, mint or dill. As the name indicates, this sauce is of Greek origin and is also found in Turkish gastronomic culture.

In Greece, it’s known as Tzatziki while in Turkey it’s called Cacik. Throughout the rest of the world, however, it’s known as Greek yogurt sauce. This sauce is used in a variety of dishes and works perfectly with kebabs.

A versatile sauce

Greek yogurt sauce can enrich the taste of both white and red cuts of meat, as well as fish and seafood. It’s usually served as a side with meze which is a selection of various appetizers that are served together with an alcoholic beverage known as Raki in Turkey or Ouzo in Greece.

In counties such as Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon, Greek yogurt sauce tends to be present at large banquets.

It has an exquisite and unique flavor, which in many cases, overlaps the accompanying meals due to its peculiarity. The most popular of the dishes that are served with Greek yogurt sauce is the gyro. This is the famous meat that is roasted vertically. Gyros are now prepared almost anywhere in the world where Turkish or Arabic food is sold.

Tzatziki sauce

The elaboration of this sauce is extremely simple, healthy and economical. It’s made with ingredients that are usually located in the pantries of most kitchens. Besides being exquisite, this delicious sauce can be served in many different ways.

Ingredients:

• 2 Greek yogurts
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 grated cucumber
• 2 tablespoons of well-chopped mint leaves or spearmint
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or extra virgin sunflower oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash and grate the cucumber, discard the pulp and put the grated cucumber in a sieve to drain.
2. Grind the clove of garlic.
3. After draining, the yogurt and cucumber should be placed in a bowl together with the crushed garlic, oil and lemon juice or vinegar. Next, add mint or mint leaves and mix all of these ingredients together with a fork until the product reaches a homogeneous texture.
4. Keep the product in the fridge and cover it with plastic wrap until the next day. Serve the sauce in a glass bowl and as a finishing touch, you can sprinkle some well-chopped parsley on top.

An alternative based on Greek yogurt sauce

In general, most Greek yogurt sauce recipes are made with the same basic ingredients. All you have to do is vary the portions and add a few new ingredients in order to adjust the sauce for the palates of the people who will eat it. One of these alternatives is Greek yogurt sauce with fresh dill for smoked salmon.

Salmon and Greek yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of salmon with skin
• 1 serving of natural Greek yogurt
• 1/2 grated cucumber
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• A little lemon pepper or allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 3.5 ounces of finely chopped, fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons of mint
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of sugar

Preparation:

1. Place the salmon (skin side down) on a baking sheet. Place in the oven at a temperature of 356 degrees F, for 25 minutes. Ideally, the oven should have a steam function. This will extract the flavor of the salmon without drying it out.
2. In a bowl, add the Greek yogurt, cucumber, and all of the other ingredients. Mix everything together.
3. Serve the salmon with the sauce and a touch of dill.