INGREDIENTS:

3 cups Greek yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt for salting cucumbers
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper corns (Tellicherry) to taste

If you can't find Greek yogurt, you can make something similar by straining regular plain yogurt for several hours to remove the liquid and thicken the yogurt.  You can improvise a strainer by using two coffee filters inside a colander and place inside a catch bowl to secure the drained liquid off the yogurt.  Let the yogurt drain for at least 2 hours until your desired thickness.

Peel and remove the seeds from the cucumber so the sauce doesn't get too watery.  Use a sharp pointed spoon to scrape out seeds and cut cucumbers into thick slices and put in a colander placed in the sink.  Sprinkle on salt and let cucumbers release water and drain for at least 30 minutes or more.  (The water released rinses off most of the salt, but if you're limiting salt in your diet you can rinse them and pat dry with paper towels).  Put the cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and black pepper into food processor and process until cucumbers are finely chopped.  Stir the puréed cucumber mixture into the Greek yogurt (or yogurt you've drained.)   Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using to give flavors a chance to marry.  This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

Tzatziki pronounced (tsaet'siki) is the type of white sauce that's often served with grilled meats like Salmon, Chicken,  Kabab Koobideh,, Souvlaki  and of course Lamb.

Click on thumbnail sequence pixs for a larger view:

I got in too big a hurry on this sauce and didn't peel the cumbers to start with.  That in Southern talk is "putting the cart before the horse."   I had to peel the individual cucumber slices which was time consuming.  I personally am not a big fan of Tzatziki sauce but it goes very well with the Kabab Koobideh recipe.   I didn't take the time to take a pix of the Tzatziki sauce after it was refrigerated for a couple hours and place it in a more suitable serving dish...my bad on this one!

Web posted by Bill aka Mickey Porter 07-27-12 with pixs added on 09-10-12.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE