Proper Thick Tzatziki with Dill and Mint

⏱ 25 min · Serves 6

The secret to tzatziki that doesn't turn watery is salting and squeezing the cucumber until it's almost dry. What you get is a thick, garlicky, herb-flecked dip that clings to warm pita and cools down anything off the grill.

Per serving: 135 kcal · 6.5g protein · 3.5g carbs · 11.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber (about 350g)
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 400g thick Greek yoghurt (full fat)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Warm pita or flatbread, to serve

Method

1. Trim the cucumber and coarsely grate it, skin and all, onto a clean tea towel or into a sieve set over a bowl.
2. Toss the grated cucumber with 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes to draw out the water.
3. Gather the tea towel into a bundle and squeeze hard over the sink until barely any liquid comes out. This is the most important step - be ruthless.
4. In a bowl, stir together the Greek yoghurt, grated garlic, olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice until smooth.
5. Fold in the squeezed cucumber, dill and mint. Season with black pepper and a little more salt if needed.
6. Chill for at least 10 minutes to let the garlic mellow and the flavours settle, then taste and adjust the acidity.
7. Spoon into a shallow bowl, swirl the surface, drizzle generously with olive oil and scatter with a few extra dill fronds. Serve with warm pita.