Refresh Yourselves in the Summer with Jajik!

Yesterday I gave you the recipe for rice pilaf. In Turkey rice pilaf goes very well with Jajik, which I will explain here in this post. "Jajik" or "Cacik" in Turkish, is a commonly prepared appetizer in Turkey and can be a replacement for a bowl of salad. It's perfect for hot summer days, refreshing and nourishing. If you are fed up of eating salads you can try jajik for a change. This recipe is for 2 servings, after a try you can play with the amounts I give here, according to your own preferences. The main ingredients are cucumber and yoghurt, adding the others are up to you.



Ingredients

• 500 gr yoghurt
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cucumbers, the cucumbers I find around here are around 15 cm in length. If you have larger or smaller cucumbers you can arrange accordingly.
• 4 pieces of garlic. If you aren't fond of garlic you don't have to add it.
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 4-5 stems of dill leafs
• 1 teaspoon of dry mint
• 1 teaspoon of sumac
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 2 cubes of ice
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl use a mixer to stir the yoghurt to get a homogene texture.
2. Add the water and stir some more.
3. Chop the cucumbers up into very finely, and add to the yoghurt. Stir it with a spoon.
4. Crush the garlic and add to our mixture.
5. Add the salt. Now we have our basic jajik. If you like it simple you can keep it like this.
6. Chop the dill leafs finely and add to your jajik.
7. Add the dry mint, sumac and olive oil and stir with a spoon.
8. Lastly add the ice and serve.

Afiyet olsun! (Bon Apetite)


Notes

• Jajik goes perfectly well with rice and maccaroni.
• Use light yoghurt and you have a perfect diet dish.
• Always remember to serve it cold. Add ice cubes if necessary.