Strained kefir tzatziki

Prep Time 10

Cucumber draining and chilling 1 10

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

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Ingredients

▢ 240 g plain kefir cheese Strain plain, unsalted milk kefir to Greek-yogurt thickness, then weigh. Keep refrigerated.
▢ 1 small cucumber (about 120 g) Wash before grating. Scoop out any large, watery seeds.
▢ 2 garlic cloves Peel before using.
▢ 15 ml lemon juice Freshly squeezed.
▢ 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
▢ 1½ tbsp fresh dill Wash, dry and finely chop before measuring. Optional.
▢ ½ tsp sea salt Reserve a little for draining the cucumber; use the rest to season the dip to taste.

You will need

Coarse grater
Sieve and bowl
Clean kitchen cloth
Knife and chopping board
Measuring jug and measuring spoons
Spoon
Mixing bowl with a lid

Instructions

Coarsely grate the cucumber into a sieve set over a bowl.
Mix a little of the measured salt into the cucumber and let it drain for 10 minutes.
Squeeze the cucumber firmly in a clean kitchen cloth to remove the liquid.
Finely grate or crush the garlic into a paste.
Finely chop the dill, if using.
Stir together the kefir cheese, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and dill, if using.
Season to taste with as much of the remaining salt as needed.
Refrigerate the dip in the covered bowl for 1 hour.
Stir the dip before serving.

Start with strained kefir cheese; the stated preparation and total times do not include straining. To prepare it ahead, drain plain milk kefir in the refrigerator using a yogurt strainer or a cloth-lined sieve over a bowl. Allow a few hours to overnight, checking the texture, and stop once it is as thick as Greek yogurt, then measure the amount needed.

Storage and safety

Cover and refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) or below; eat within 3 days of mixing. If the kefir reaches its use-by date or its limit after opening sooner, finish the dip by that earlier deadline. Keep that deadline even after straining. Discard dip left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature exceeds 32°C (90°F).