Cacık
Cacık is cool, creamy, and bright with cucumber, garlic, dill, and mint. This quick version is thick enough to scoop yet light and refreshing, with a fruity olive oil finish that makes it perfect for warm days or as part of a simple meze meal.
Ingredients
Yoğurtlu karışım
- 300 gplain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 150 gcucumber
- 1 small clove (3 g)garlic
- 1 tspdried mint
- 1 tbsp, finely chopped (4 g)fresh dill
- 1 tbsp (15 ml)extra-virgin olive oil
- 30 mlcold water
- 1/4 tspfine salt
- 1/8 tspblack pepper
Üzeri için
- 1 tsp (5 ml)extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tspdried mint
- 1 tsp, finely chopped (1 g)fresh dill
Instructions
- 1
Peel the cucumber in stripes if you like a bit of color, then grate it on the coarse side of a grater. Squeeze out excess water with clean hands so the cacık stays thick rather than watery. Finely grate or crush the garlic, and finely chop the dill.
- 2
In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the cold water until smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt, black pepper, dried mint, chopped dill, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- 3
Fold in the grated cucumber. Taste and adjust salt if needed. The texture should be spoonable but loose enough to ripple; add a teaspoon or two more cold water only if you prefer a thinner, more traditional consistency.
- 4
Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and scatter over the extra dried mint and dill. Serve immediately, well chilled if possible, with warm bread, grilled vegetables, or as part of a meze spread.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a more traditional, looser cacık, increase the cold water to 50-60 ml.
- •Persian or Turkish cucumbers work especially well because they have fewer seeds and a crisp texture.
- •If using regular plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt, strain it briefly or reduce the added water.
- •A short 10-15 minute chill improves the flavor, but the dish is excellent served right away.
Background
Cacık is a classic Turkish yogurt dish made with cucumber, herbs, and garlic, commonly served as part of a meze table or alongside grilled foods. It is closely related to other yogurt-cucumber dishes across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, but in Turkey it is especially known for its refreshing, herbaceous character and can be served either thick as a dip or thinned as a cold soup.
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