Tzexy Tzatziki Dip!

I love Tzatziki sauce. Not as much as other sauces from the Mediterranean, particularly those from Turkey, Morocco and Italy, but there's something refreshing about a cool yogurt-based sauce you can use for dipping, and for taking the edge off of spicy food.

So when presented the opportunity to make a dip for a friend's party that wasn't as run of the mill as salsa, or as unhealthy as fake cheese in a can (yes, I'm talking to you Aarti!), I came up with my own take on Tzatziki. The final version had a zing to it like you wouldn't believe, so I called it Tzexy Tzatziki© (That is now a trademarked term btw, so no Kraft, you can't have it!)

People familiar with Indian cuisine who are tempted to dismiss it as Raita (another yogurt based sauce) would be well served to try it before they diss it. Unless you wanna take it outside. What's that? Didn't think so...

Ingredients	Quantity
Non- or Low-Fat Greek Yogurt	1 lbs/500 grams/2 cups
Cucumber	1 cup finely chopped
Olive oil	1 Tbsp
Garlic (aka Gahlic in New England)	3 cloves pressed or crushed
Mint (Optional)	~8 leaves finely chopped
Lemon	1/2 large, juice and zest
Red Chilli powder	1/4 tsp
Cumin	1/2 tsp
Pepper	1 tsp coarsely ground
Salt	to season (healthy sprinkle)

Method:

1. Empty out the Greek Yogurt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add all the other ingredients.
3. Whip using a whisk or large fork for a couple of minutes, or until the mixture starts to look consistent.
4. Empty out the mixture into a large shallow dish. Level out the mixture by brushing a knife over it if you have to.
5. Put the dish uncovered (or loosely covered if you must) in the fridge overnight. The shallow dish helps more of the moisture escape, turning the yogurt into more of a paste. The refridgeration helps the ingredients do their magic!
6. And... (the next day), you're done!

Makes 6 servings (1/2 cup each)

Serving suggestion:
Garnish with a thin slice of lemon and some mint leaves right before serving. Tzatziki is a very versatile sauce. Its thick enough to use as a dip with Zaatar Pita Chips (Recipe coming soon!). I've also used it with kebabs, on spicy burgers (Look forward to that one as well!) or even with a spoon as a midnight snack on lazy nights!

Variations:

1. For some reason I want to try it with chopped sundried tomatoes next. Stay tuned!
2. Other serving suggestions or variations? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Here's a close approximation of the nutrition information per serving (serving size = 1/2 cup, using Low-fat Greek Yogurt):

Calories	85
Fat	4g
Carbohydrates	5g
Protein	8g

Pictures to come soon! Enjoy!

Muhammara: Red Pepper, Pomegranate & Walnut Dip

Tired of hummus? Try this other dip from the same region for a more complex, hotter taste. Muhammara can be served as an appetizer, or with kebabs as a dipping paste.

When going through this recipe, feel free to adjust all the ingredients to your taste. The olive oil gives the muhammara a creamier texture, so adjust accordingly (more for creamier, less for drier).

Ingredients	Quantity	Preparation
Red Peppers	2 large or 3 medium
Walnuts	1/2 cup	Shelled
Garlic	1 tsp	Crushed
Fresh breadcrumbs	1/2 cup
Red chillies	2 small pieces	Seeded & chopped
Olive oil	1/4 cup
Pomegranate seeds	1/4 cup
Lemon juice	2 tbs
Cumin	1 tsp	Powdered or ground
Red chilli flakes	1/2 tsp	Optional. Replace with another red chilli.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Cut the peppers into large, flat pieces. Arrange them skin side up in a baking dish & place in the oven for 10-20 minutes.
3. Once the skins turn black, remove the peppers and place them in a plastic bag. Allow the bag to cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
4. Once cooled, the skins should just peel off of the red peppers. Discard all the skins and process the peppers in a food processor until they turn into a fine paste. Remove and set aside.
5. Chop the walnuts, garlic and breadcrumbs until finely ground.
6. Add the peppers, chopped chillies, olive oil, pomegranates and lemon juice. Process in short bursts to combine.
7. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a spoon to stir in the cumin and chilli flakes.
8. Season with salt, and refridgerate overnight to allow the flavors to mellow.

Serving suggestions:

1. Decorate with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, or olives. Make a pattern that looks kinda cool. Check out mine below!
2. Serve with toasted flatbread, or my favorite: Falafel chips!.

Variations:

1. If you have access to pomegranate syrup, you could use 1 teaspoon of that instead.
2. Small red chillies... green chillies... doesn't make much of a difference for this recipe. Use either. But, you CANNOT replace the red bell peppers!
3. I wonder what it would taste like with almonds or pine nuts instead of walnuts...

Enjoy! And feel free to leave comments!