Tzatziki, the Greek weapon-answer to the Twilight.

Tell me, which vampire could resist this garlic-fused greek bomb called tzatziki? As long as your breath is lightly (or heavily!!!) scented with the delightful fragrance of this garlic sauce, you can sleep calmly, unless you really want to be bitten by a blood-thirsty creature of the night.

In the real world now, Greek souvlaki is nothing without tzatziki, and if you share this passion for greek food with your potential boyfriend, then there won’t be any trouble, since neither of you would detect the garlicky smell.

Tzatziki is also very easy to make at home but since it is made of raw ingredients you have to be sure that they are of the best quality. Extra virgin olive oil, thick strained greek yogurt, organic and juicy cucumbers and red wine vinegar. You can use fresh garlic cloves but if you like a milder version which holds the flavor but not the heat, you can use garlic powder.

The quantities vary according to your taste but to start with, 500 grams of yogurt, a large cucumber and 2-3 garlic cloves are just fine.

You have to peel and coarsely grind* the cucumber. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and let it strain in a drainer for about an hour. Then squeeze it to get rid of the extra water and it is ready to mix. In a big bowl add the yogurt, the cucumber, the garlic cloves mashed or very thinly chopped, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Mix them gently and then taste for salt, because the cucumber has already been salted. Experiment with the quantity of olive oil and vinegar (you can start with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar)  until you come up with a result that you really like. Don’t add more garlic. The dip must remain in your refrigerator in an airtight container (for obvious reasons) for at least one hour before the flavors are developed.

For more authenticity, when you are ready to serve it, just drizzle it with some olive oil and decorate the center with a Kalamata olive.

*Sometimes, especially when the cucumber is very juicy, I prefer to scoop the seeds out and dice it instead of grind it. This way it keeps its moisture and it adds a crunchy feeling to the dip.

 Finally, as much as I admire Jamie Oliver, NO, dear Jamie, we don't add dry oregano in the mixture. Maybe, just maybe, some dill!