Jajik: cucumber and yogurt

Equipment

• Knife and board
• mixing bowl
• sieve
• whisk.

Before you begin

US cup = 240 ml; tablespoon = 15 ml; teaspoon = 5 ml. Use listed gram weights for consistency; weights are raw or dry unless described as cooked or drained.

• Use strained yogurt for a thicker dip; loosen with the listed water. Replace dill with the same weight of parsley.

Make it work

• Regular yogurt gives a looser jajik; strained yogurt produces a dip. Use water to adjust texture rather than changing the cucumber amount.

Ingredients

• 350 g / 12.3 oz Seedless cucumber
• 450 g / 15.9 oz Plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 small clove (about 2 g / 0.1 oz) Garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp / about 0.5 g Dried mint
• 10 g / 0.3 oz Fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp, then adjust / about 3 g Fine salt
• 15 ml / 0.5 US fl oz Olive oil
• 30 ml / 1.0 US fl oz Cold water, only if needed

Step-by-step method

1. Prepare the cucumber
   Wash and dry the cucumber. Peel alternating strips if the skin is tough. Split lengthwise, scrape out watery seeds if present, and cut into small 5 mm / 1/4 in cubes. Very large chunks make the finished dish awkward to spoon.
2. Remove excess water
   Put the cubes in a sieve and toss with half the salt. Rest 10 minutes over a bowl. Pat dry with a clean towel rather than squeezing the cucumber into a paste. Discard the collected liquid.
3. Make the yogurt base
   Crush garlic to a fine paste with the remaining salt. Whisk into yogurt with dried mint and half the dill. Taste before adding further garlic: its flavor grows stronger as the mixture stands.
4. Fold, then chill
   Fold in drained cucumber. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. If using very thick yogurt, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until it is spoonable. A dip should hold its shape rather than pour like a drink.
5. Finish at the table
   Stir once more and taste for salt. Spoon into a shallow bowl; finish with remaining dill and olive oil. Keep chilled until shortly before serving. Put out small portions and replenish from the refrigerator during a long meal.

Cook’s notes

Regular yogurt gives a looser jajik; strained yogurt produces a dip. Use water to adjust texture rather than changing the cucumber amount.

Storage & reheating

• Refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours (1 hour above 32 C / 90 F); use within 3 days.

Allergens

Contains: Milk.

Approximate nutrition

Per serving: 114 kcal · Protein 5 g · Carbohydrates 9 g · Fat 7 g.

Approximate per serving of the complete recipe. Brands, substitutions, cooking losses and portion sizes affect the figures.