Nancy Mair, writer, cookbook editor, and landscape designer generously stopped preparing lunch to take my call to discuss recipes.
“I love sharing recipes,” said Mair, author of “Simply Vegetarian” and “The Intimate Vegetarian.”
Mair began by telling me about the lunch she was making, a traditional Indian cucumber and yogurt salad.
“Yogurt is cooling for warm summer months, so is cucumber. This recipe takes only minutes to make,” she said.
“The refreshing combination of yogurt and cucumbers is seen in a variety of cultures around the world.”
Her preference is without garlic, yet when fresh garlic is added it becomes a Turkish dish.
“This salad pairs well with other types of food, [like] Asian and Mediterranean, and it goes well with tomatoes, chicken, tofu, burgers. It is very vegetarian,” Mair said.
It can be a meal in itself or a side.
“Another great feature of this dish is that it keeps well refrigerated for 2-3 days,” Mair added.
“The cucumbers remain crisp, and if the garlic is included it doesn’t taste stronger as time goes by, which often happens with fresh garlic.”
She ended our phone conversation by volunteering to remake the salad to record the measurements and develop it into a recipe that could be shared with Epoch Times readers.
This salad is not only refreshing, it is also creamy. I suggest trying organic whole milk yogurt with a cream top.
Koral’s Turkish Yogurt with Cucumbers and Fresh Dill
500 ml (2 cups) cucumbers (1 medium cucumber)
15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh dill (feathery parts)
500 ml (2 cups) whole milk plain yogurt (not nonfat)
Pinch (1/8 tsp) sea salt
1 medium clove of garlic, peeled, crushed and finely chopped (optional)
10 ml (2 tsp) extra virgin olive oil
Dice the cucumbers very finely, and chop the dill. Scoop the yogurt into a medium-sized serving bowl. Add the cucumber and salt, and stir well. Add crushed garlic to yogurt. Add half of the fresh dill and stir to blend. Drizzle the olive oil over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining fresh dill. Chill until ready to serve.
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