Yogurt Sauce with Cucumber & Dill aka Tarator

Tarator is more like a dip or a sauce used mostly during summer time as an appetizer. Each Balkan country has different way of making it with almost the same ingredients. In Albania is called Tarator, in Greece the name is Tzatziki and Cacik in Turkey. This recipe is smooth, refreshing and if you love yogurt as I do you are up for something very Mediterranean.

Level: Easy

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled finely grated (the cucumber has to be seeded before grated)
• 1 Tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh dill chopped
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves pressed or mashed
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup cold water

Preparation:

In a bowl mix cucumbers, garlic, sea salt and 1 Tbs olive oil. Meanwhile in a separate bowl thin the yogurt with cold water not to thin but not to thick. Personally, I like it more on  the thicker side. At this point pour in the mixture from the first bowl and mix them all together. Serve in small bowls and drizzle 2 Tsp of olive oil. Lastly, garnish with fresh chopped dill. Put in the refrigerator for half an hour to an hour to chill. This can be paired with grilled fish or meats and vegetables. Enjoy!

Note: In the absence of cucumbers thick sliced fried zucchini can be used along with chopped fried or roasted red peppers with the skin peeled off. Also if you would like to use your own homemade yogurt you can find the recipe in my blog.

Homemade Yogurt Made Very Easy

Yogurt is a product with very high nutritional properties such as protein, calcium, vitamin B6, B12 and riboflavin. Yogurt is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt is known as yogurt cultures. Cow's milk is the most commonly used to make yogurt. The word yogurt is derived from the Turkish language and it means to be curdled or coagulated; to thicken.

As a child, I saw my mom covering container or saucepan of milk with clean towels and blanket and telling me not to touch it. The importance of not opening the blanket covering during the fermentation is that you will stop the process of making yogurt. This is an old recipe and the method is the same as when my mom used to make it. It does not require too much active time to make it.

Ingredients:

• Half-gallon Stony Field - organic Whole milk - ultra pasteurized
• 3 Tbsp of  Yogurt  to use as a starter.
• Pyrex or Glad-ware container

Preparation:

Boil the milk in a saucepan to a medium heat until you see a skin forming on the top of the pot. Pour about about 4 quarts milk into a plastic or glass container, and let it cool down at room temperature. Meanwhile mix the yogurt starter with 2 Tbsp. of milk so that is easily poured. After you put the lid on the container, cover it with a plastic bag and a clean towel or blanket. After 3 1/2 hours open and place the container in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Note: 

• The yogurt will come out sour if you pour the yogurt starter in the hot milk or if you use more yogurt starter.
• Do not open the container before the recommended hours once you covered because you will stop the fermentation. 
• Always save some yogurt to use as a starter for your next batch in the refrigerator in a small container.