Memories of Tzatziki

Growing up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, I was exposed to amazing Greek food; in fact, the quality of the Greek food is one of the things I am most proud of about my hometown. As a young girl, I developed an obsession with tzatziki sauce, the so-garlicky-it-burns condiment made of cucumber and yogurt. Whether I slathered it on pita while I shared a cold pikilia platter with my mom at Dimitri’s, or eat it spread on a Pano’s donair for breakfast at the Boyce Farmer’s Market on Saturday, tzatziki sauce has always held a very special place in my heart. I’ve eaten it with a spoon from the Styrofoam takeout container, people; true love knows no manners.

Now that I live in the neighbouring city of Moncton, I find myself hard to please when it comes to my favourite condiment. While there is a perfectly lovely Mediterranean restaurant here, it does not specifically identify itself as Greek; therefore, its version of tzatziki, which is neither thick nor garlicky enough for my tastes, just isn’t the same. Grocery store brand obviously won’t do, either, so what’s a girl to do? Well, this girl makes it herself.

I read dozens of online recipes for tzatziki sauce, and combined elements from the ones that sounded most like what I can get at home. After little tweaks here and there, I finally have a formula that I love to call my own.

If you think tzatziki is only good for pita bread or donairs, think again. I make it every single weekend in the summer, because it is so versatile. I love it as a condiment for sausage, chicken, burgers, steak, pork tenderloin, or potatoes, as a dip with any vegetable, dolloped on top of an omelette, as a dressing for pasta salad, and in a big bowl surrounded by chips or crackers. The possibilities are endless.

While it would be nice to be able to run out and pick up a container of delicious tzatziki sauce whenever I please, I don’t mind taking the time to make my own. It’s rewarding to satisfy my cravings in my own kitchen, by successfully recreating a taste that I've always adored. However, even though I really enjoy my own version of tzatziki, some things just can’t be changed: when I’m at Mom and Dad’s, it’s Greek takeout all the way.

Tzatziki Sauce: The Recipe

Amanda’s notes: Since I can’t get Greek yogurt around here, I buy the thickest I can find, Balkan-style yogurt (6% M.F.), and strain it to thicken it even more. This can be done by placing a couple of layers of paper towel in a sieve, adding the yogurt, and sitting the sieve on top of a bowl in the fridge overnight. Discard liquid.

Because there is a lot of water in cucumber, after grating and salting, I squeeze out as much as I can by scooping it into paper towel or a clean dishtowel, and wringing.

Unlike the smooth tzatziki I grew up with, this one is chunky from the grated, skin-on cucumber. If you’d like a smoother texture, you could peel then puree your cucumber in a food processor before adding it to the yogurt.

I usually use about 6 cloves of garlic, but I really like the sting. Use 3 or 4 if you’re unsure, and more if you’re a fanatic (I once used 10, but it was bad for my social life).

Ingredients
1 large container Greek yogurt (about 2 cups)
1 cucumber, grated
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt
Paprika

Directions
Whisk olive oil and lemon juice in the bottom of a bowl. Fold in yogurt. Add cucumber and garlic; mix well. Salt to taste. Let tzatziki sit in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before serving. Garnish with paprika. Enjoy!