Yogurt Cacik and Raki Alkol

Yogurt Cacik is a meze made mainly by Turks and Greeks. It is usually eaten as an appetizer with food with strong alcohol called Raki Alkol or Uozo. I use Danon yogurt and Yeni Raki for this combo mix.

1 pound Danon low-fat plain yogurt

2 cucumbers

Salt

olive oil

fresh dill

Dried Red Pepper

Pour the yogurt into a medium pot. Add salt and mix with a spoon until the salt is completely saturated.

Cut and peel the cucumbers. Cut the peeled cucumbers into small pieces. Add cucumbers into the yogurt. Chop the fresh dill into very small pieces. Add to yogurt and mix well. Once the cucumbers and dill are saturated in the mixture, spoon them into small cups for dessert. For the olive oil and a small touch of crushed red pepper. Move to the refrigerator. You will need about 1 hour to get the full flavor of the dill into the mixture. You can also use dried oregano, mint, sumak, or any other crushed and dried spice of your choice. The spice on top of the olive oil serves as decoration and a hint of flavor.

Open your bottle of Raki. (Raki (a strong alcoholic drink) is easily found in many liquor stores.) Put 1/3 raki in a tall glass. Add 1/3 of water. The drink will turn white. Uozo can also be used for the same purpose. They are very similar drinks made with anise.

Enjoy your cacik and raki…

This appetizer is served in all Turkish and Greek restaurants. The Greeks call it Tzatiki and the Turks call it Cacik. It is a good accompaniment to many main dishes. You can serve the cacik with beef, fish or chicken. However, Mediterranean cuisine usually consists of vegetable dishes and many mezes (appetizers) made with a variety of vegetables.