Tsatsiki: recipe is classic, photo

Each national cuisine has its own sauce, original and inherent only to it. These dressings or gravies, which can sometimes be considered as independent snacks, serve as visiting cards of cookbooks from different countries. One has only to recall the Japanese sauce of Unagi, the Indian chutney or the Azerbaijani narwhara. In this article we will consider the preparation of the Greek cold snack Tzatziki. The classic recipe was born in the mainland Hellas. There it is called dzadziki or tzattsiki.

On the island of Crete, the appetizer sauce is called the Talaturi (ttalattouri). Together with the name has undergone a modification and a recipe. In Crete, the tzatsiks are cooked with less garlic, but the mint leaves are added. And in the Bulgarian and Macedonian cuisines, the sauce generally turned into soup, which is no less popular in the world. Well, in Russia, an analog of this interesting dish can be considered okroshka on kefir.

History of occurrence

Researchers are still lost in conjecture, what kind of people gave the world this wonderful sauce-snack. Some believe that it was only thanks to the Turkish conquest that a tzatika sauce appeared in Greece. The classic recipe in the Ottoman Empire used was pressed yoghurt from goat or sheep's milk, garlic, fresh cucumbers, salt, pepper and olive oil. The dish in Turkey is called jajjik. From the Greek it differs in a more liquid consistency. In the Middle East, in Persia, there is a similar sauce mast-o-khiar. Also, the Tzatzik resembles the Indian sauce of the raita. But, perhaps, the conquering Turks "borrowed" the recipe from the conquered Greeks? Anyway, we do not know yet who owns the palm tree of the primacy in the Tzatzik issue. The main thing is that we have a recipe for a tasty and healthy sauce.

The cult dish

In Greece, this sauce is sold in any grocery store, with many variations. In Greece, as you know, everything is there. And this statement fully relates to a variety of sauces, united under the common name of "tsatsiki." The classic recipe assumes the presence of yoghurt, garlic, cucumber, olive oil and salt with pepper in the dish. Variations also include mint, dill, parsley, lemon juice, ground almonds and much, much more. There are Tzatziki on goat's milk and on sheep. With fresh or pickled cucumbers. In short, for every taste. Without this dish, there is not a single meal in Greece. It is eaten as an independent snack, just dipping it in pita. Tsatsiki are served to gyros, suvlaks, meat, fish, fried or stewed vegetables. The sauce invariably accompanies the meze - a set of cold and hot snacks that are served in the Mediterranean.

Tsatsiki: the recipe for cooking

In fact, there are no complications in creating a sauce. We will not even need to kindle a fire. In Greece, in addition to the finished sauce, you can buy the main ingredient for its preparation - very thick natural yogurt (without flavor additives). With him, the preparation of a cult dish will not take half an hour. Only it is necessary, that to mix in the yoghurt peeled off the skin and finely chopped cucumbers, garlic, spices and olive oil. Before feeding to the table, the tsatsiki must be cooled. In restaurants, the sauce is decorated with an olive, olive or a sprig of mint cut in half. The number of ingredients can be adjusted to your liking. But what is the proportion of the authentic Tsatzik dish? The classic recipe gives such a list of ingredients. On 370 ml of yogurt for tsatsika you need to take two cucumbers, five cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper.

We prepare step by step: tzatziki (recipe classic)

The photos will make the description more accessible for understanding. Two cucumbers are peeled and grated. Prisalivaem them and squeeze out the slightly allocated juice. Five cloves of garlic finely chopped, pour a spoon of wine vinegar (or lemon juice). Add to cucumbers along with 370 ml of thick natural yogurt. If desired, you can sprinkle a mixture of a tablespoon of green dill or parsley. The taste of mint with fresh cucumbers will create a cooling effect on a sultry day. Thoroughly sauce the sauce. With a thin trickle of beans, two tablespoons of natural olive oil. Once again, we mix it and send it to the refrigerator. Before serving, we decorate the tzatzik sauce. The recipe is classic to all good. But he does not specify where to get in Russia such a thick natural yogurt, which in Greece is sold in any shop. Let's try to adapt the recipe to our import substitution conditions.

Yogurt in Greek

Cucumbers and garlic for us - not a problem. Olive oil can also be bought. The case for yogurt. The one that is sold with us under the name "Natural", is not suitable for tzatsika sauce. Recipe requires a thick product, so that, as they say, a spoon in it stood. Many people substitute fatty sour cream for yogurt. It's really thick enough. But the sauce will turn out to be too greasy. Therefore, it makes sense to do some preliminary manipulations to get real Greek yogurt. Take a liter of whole milk, bring to a boil and cool to about 43 degrees. Add two tablespoons of sour cream. We put in heat for ripening for eight hours. Then yogurt should still stand in the refrigerator for a better thickening. If the result disappointed you, fold the product in several layers of gauze and hang it. Over night, excess serum will drain and the yogurt will thicken. Well, then you can use it according to the recipe.

Tsatsiki with salted cucumbers

This sauce can be made and winter. Salted or pickled cucumbers will not so refresh the Tzatziki. The recipe suggests shifting 250 grams of thick yogurt to a bowl. Two small cucumbers cut into small cubes in another bowl. Squeeze the juice - it is not needed in the sauce. We mix cucumbers with yoghurt. Let's chop the greens of dill and parsley. Add two cloves of garlic, squeezed through the press. All mixed up. We shall salivate to taste, not forgetting about black pepper. And we'll send it to the fridge for half an hour, so that all the ingredients of the sauce are entered into a pleasant interaction. As you can see, in this recipe, vegetable oil is not used. If we intervene in the sauce with a teaspoon of grated almonds, the tsatsika will have an interesting nutty taste.