Hot with Garlic Tzatziki | Atkins

   

           The phrase ‘hot with garlic’ appeals to every one of my countless taste buds.

Evoking a fragrantly pungent heat, that is always better shared, fresh cloves of garlic are a welcome addition to many dishes, and a delicious necessity in many more.

Added to a creamy combination of double thick Greek yoghurt, fresh mint and cooling cucumber, this makes a great dip for vegetables or accompaniment to meat or even salads.

The hardest part of this recipe is having the patience to allow the grated cucumber to drain so most of its moisture is lost. After that, it’s a simple task of minimal chopping and stirring. As an aside, please don’t use fat-free Bulgarian yoghurt, or any of its less creamy relatives – this tzatziki deserves nothing less than double cream Greek yoghurt.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup double cream Greek yoghurt

1 cucumber, coarsely grated

3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped mint

1 tbsp fresh dill

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper to taste

Olive oil to drizzle

Method:
Place the grated cucumber in a clean cloth and squeeze tightly. Close in a knot and tie closed with a piece of string. Hang from a shelf in your fridge (with a bowl below it to catch the drips) overnight. Squeeze any remaining moisture from the cloth before you start to assemble the tzatziki.

Place the cucumber in a medium sized bowl. Add the yoghurt, garlic, mind, dill, lemon juice and zest. Stir until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

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