You'll love this Cucumber Yogurt Salad and I can tell you a hundred reasons to have it and many more hundred combinations of cucumber salad.
I came across this salad on my journey to Iraq and I just fell in love with it. The secret to this salad is rich and creamy Greek yogurt and fresh crisp cucumbers.
You'll find a number of cucumber recipes on the blog. As. a child, I was a very picky eater and cucumbers were first among the vegetable that I liked to eat raw. With time I learn to enjoy and be grateful for all the bounties of nature. While many people choose leafy green for a veggie base, my favorite is always cucumber.Â
Why? Cucumber is
- crunchy
- juicy
- refreshing
- hydrating
- rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Why do I prefer yogurt dressing?
A yogurt dressing is rich in
- Calcium
- Low fat
- Filling
- Healthy
Ingredients
Greek yogurt is simply thick yogurt. When liquid whey is separated from regular yogurt, The resulting thick yogurt is commonly called greek yogurt. Read more about greek yogurt benefits here.
You can make greek yogurt at home by straining off the whey water from regular yogurt. To do this spread a clean cheesecloth (or any thin cloth) over a colander. Also, place a bowl under the colander. Pour ½ kg (500 grams) yogurt over the cheesecloth. Now, bring the edges of cheesecloth together and tie it with a string. Let the liquid whey drain in the bowl. You can place a heavy bowl over the yogurt bag to speed up the straining process. The yogurt would be thick after one hour. Greek yogurt is ready to use.
How to make it?
Only peeling and dicing of cucumber require some time. Rest of the steps are just putting all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. I'm using mint leaves here, you can use dill or parsley too or just skip the herbs.
Garlic powder tastes best in the salad, but you may use garlic paste. I've tried this salad number of times with all variations.
Like I also tried it with cream. The salad tastes great on its own and cream is just extra calories, so no need to add it. Keep it simple, no superfluous seasoning or spices are required. Few ingredients are the beauty of this salad.
Variation
This is a rich salad and tastes great in its classic version as mentioned in the recipe card. But, if you like to play with ingredients. Try adding a chopped apple or grapes. You can also add roasted peanuts, and salad leaves, like romaine or iceberg.
You might get tempted to add some pepper, chilies, chat masala, or cumin. You'll turn this Lebanese salad into Indian raita. My best advice is to leave the seasoning alone. Although, you can add more garlic, lemon, cream, and dill leaves if you like.
FAQ
The cucumber salad makes a cooling and healthy summer lunch. Besides, this salad makes a great side with any south Asian, Indian or Arabic food like kababs and mandi or sajji, biryani, karahi and so on.
The cucumber salad is rich in potassium, calcium, and fiber. And you get only 50 calories from 1 cup of this salad. A great choice for weight watchers.
Love salads? Me too! Check out these delicious salads.
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📖 Recipe
Cucumber Yogurt Mint Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cucumber, 500 grams, skinned and diced to small cubes.
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, ( or make thick yogurt by hanging yogurt in cheesecloth for 1 hour, see notes)
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or ½ teaspoon garlic paste
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix well and serve chilled.
Notes
To do this spread a clean cheesecloth (or any thin cloth) over a colander. Also, place a bowl under the colander. Pour ½ kg (500 grams) yogurt over the cheesecloth. Now, bring the edges of cheesecloth together and tie it with a string. Let the liquid whey drain in the bowl. You can place a heavy bowl over the yogurt bag to speed up the straining process.
The yogurt would be thick after one hour. Greek yogurt is ready to use.
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