Talatouri (Cypriot tzatziki sauce with mint)
Mint or no mint? Everyday we receive messages from our readers, asking if the traditional Tzatziki recipe is using mint or not, and if lemon juice or vinegar. So we decided to write about this traditional Cypriot dip, that is called Talatouri, which is also a yogurt based sauce very similar to Greek tzatziki.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 7 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cucumber
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 of a cup extra virgin olive oil
- 500g strained Greek yogurt (18 ounces)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1
To prepare this traditional Cypriot talatouri sauce recipe, remove the skin and the seeds of the cucumber and grate it into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and leave aside for 10 minutes.
- 2
Wrap the grated cucumber in a towel and squeeze, in order to get rid of the excess water.
- 3
Assemble the Talatouri sauce. In a bowl, add the cucumber, the minced garlic and olive oil, the yogurt, juice of 1 lemon, mint, a pinch of salt and blend, until the ingredients are combined. Store in the fridge and always serve cold. (Alternatively, if you have a blender, pour in the olive oil and garlic and blend until combined. Then mix with the rest of the ingredients using a spoon. This will help the garlic to mix better with the rest of the ingredients).
- 4
Prepare this traditional Talatouri sauce for your friends and family and serve as a delicious dip with some warm pita breads aside, or as a sauce for Greek-style souvlaki. Enjoy!