If you love yogurt, then you’re absolutely going to love this recipe. My Garlicky Yogurt Dip is just as delicious as it is versatile. You can serve it with toasted naan or pita wedges, fresh vegetables or use it as a spread for your sandwiches, wraps & burgers. It also works very well with any kebab or any grilled meal.

Now if you prefer, you are more than welcome to use home made yogurt and then strain it to get “yogurt cheese” or you could simply buy any ready made good quality Greek style yogurt & take it from there. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy” as my 8yr old sous chef would say ☺.


GARLICKY YOGURT DIP

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt cheese (or any good quality Greek style yogurt)
½ cup sour cream
½ cup softened feta cheese
(or goat cheese)
2-3 large garlic cloves, rough chopped (to taste)
½ cup freshly minced herbs of choice (cilantro, mint, rosemary, parsley, oregano, basil, chives…)
pinch of ground cumin powder
salt & pepper, to taste
pinch of smoked Spanish paprika for garnish
toasted pine nuts for garnish, optional
drizzle of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), optional

METHOD:

Now if you prefer to use your own home made yogurt:

Using a cheese-cloth or fine muslin, add 2 cups of home made yogurt and drain out any excess liquid. This is easily done by tying and hanging the cheesecloth in a cool dry place over a large bowl to catch any of the liquid. This is best left overnight and the process will result in a very thick and creamy yogurt cheese base.
The resulting liquid is known as whey, you can add it to curries or dals. I even add it to my atta (whole wheat chapati dough) for super soft chapatis. Now you can use the remaining yogurt cheese as directed above.

So, using a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, sour cream & feta cheese together and process for just a minute or so. Next add in the garlic, herbs of choice & ground cumin powder - blend until smooth & creamy. Then season with salt & pepper and transfer the yogurt mixture to pretty serving bowl. Garnish with the paprika, toasted pine nuts & EVOO. Serve with naan wedges, pita crisps or your favorite vegetables.


VARIATIONS:

This dip tastes delicious when made using roasted garlic. You can add a few roasted red or yellow bell peppers to the dip, just add them in during the blending process. Roasted eggplant mash also works great in this dip; as does some lovely pitted green olives, cooked artichokes or green onions. Basically, just add any of your favorite ingredients during the blending process. For a spicier kick, add in a few Thai green chilies or serrano peppers. You could also make this dip using fresh ginger or a combination of garlic & ginger works too.

You can also add a pinch of your favorite blend of spices such as garam masala, kala masala, Berbere spices, ras al hanout or even za’taar.