Tzaziki: dip, condiment or chutney?

It started out as a lunch. In fact, it wasn’t even supposed to make it past the ‘useful for dipping vegetables’ stage. I sliced the cucumbers and tomatoes for dipping purposes only: I swear. But then that lamb in the fridge was begging to be sliced thin and hotly sauteed and added to pita with this tzaziki dip—now turned condiment/sauce.

Then why not? I threw on the cucumbers and tomatoes and in effect created some semblance of a Greek Gyro. The best part? Now that this dip had been exonerated as a dip and made into a fancy sandwich, it could return to the lunchtime brown bag with far more style and presence than before. My kids ate them up! Of course, my fourth grader piled his with shredded cheese and ketchup (with the lamb and 9 grain pita: redemption); fortunately he ate the tzaziki as a dip with raw broccoli spears. Who am I to complain? Variety and balance accomplished.

My fifth grader adored the tzaziki on the pita with the lamb: warm or cold. And I? I ate the sandwiches for lunch today, and again for dinner. Both times, I was standing up while eating this new treat and couldn’t be bothered to take the time to sit:

Tzaziki
Kosher Salt & Coarse Pepper
2 cups plain (or Greek) yogurt
1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
1/2 cup sour cream
1T champagne/white wine vinegar
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh dill

Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 T of kosher salt; in another sieve. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can; mix/blend yogurt, cucumber, sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A sister post called a flurry of tzaziki includes a more thorough description of tzaziki as well as yummy links to inventive tzaziki recipes including chevre, beetroot, ‘light’ and swiss chard.

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