Tzatziki: how to say it and what to serve it with

If you had to choose one single sauce that goes with absolutely everything in the summer, it would definitely be the Greek cucumber and yogurt tzadziki. It is ideal with grilled meat, fries, fresh vegetables, falafel, Greek pita or simply spread on toasted bread.

Today I’m sharing my proven, thick version that doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, but still has a few rules to make it delicious.

Caciki, dzadziki or tzadziki? What is the correct name?

In Lithuania, you can see the most diverse variations of this word on packages or restaurant menus: caziki, tzadziki, dzadziki or even zaziki. It was a few years ago tzadziki and that’s it, I explained where the confusion came from.

The original Greek name is written τζατζίκι. Since the Greek combination “τζ” is pronounced as a soft “dz” and “τζι” as “dzi”, the most correct pronunciation is Dzadziki.

The Lithuanian Language Commission (VLKK) recommends writing as the main, adapted option dzadzik (or tzatziki), and the international version tzatziki allows use as a side. Literally, no matter which label you see, it’s the same refreshing Greek dressing. And I’m slowly getting used to new things, so for now I’m sticking to my usual name.

Ingredients and my proportions

So that the sauce is not watery, but becomes thick like cream, I apply 1 part cucumber and 2 parts yogurt proportion.

• 370 g good Greek yogurt, as thick as possible (I used the new “Alma Kreeka” with more protein – that’s why I indicate the weight here as one jar)
• 185 g the weight of fresh cucumbers (grated and pressed very well) is approximate, it is really not necessary to cut cucumbers exactly 🙂
• 1-2 lobes garlic
• A handful fresh dill and/or fresh mint (chopped)
• For serving: A drizzle of good quality Greek extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and a pinch of salt.

How about herbs? Interestingly, there is no single correct recipe – it all depends on the region of Greece. For example, in the northern part of the country, only dill usually goes to tzatziki. Meanwhile, in the islands or in the south, it is very popular to use fresh mint, and in some places both options are added or the herbs are omitted altogether. So feel free to experiment and choose what is tastiest for you!

Production process

1. The most important step is cucumbers: Before grabbing the grater, evaluate the skin of the cucumber. If it is thick and hard, it is better to peel the cucumbers so that hard pieces do not get stuck in the sauce later. If the peel is thin and soft, feel free to grate it. I grated the cucumbers with a beet grater.
2. Drying: Cucumbers are needed so that the sauce does not turn into a soup very well pressed. Nobody usually has cheesecloth in the house (and doesn’t need it!), a simple, clean kitchen towel is perfect for this. Shake the cucumbers into it, pinch the edges and twist and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. Blending: I salted the pressed cucumbers, added thick Greek yogurt, pressed a clove of garlic and added selected herbs.
4. End: I gave everything a good stir and before serving I drizzled some good quality Greek extra virgin olive oil on top.