Tomatillo Tzatziki- raita, or just call it yogurt sauce

Some may see this as a desperate attempt to make something other than enchiladas or salsa verde with my bounty of tomatillos but I’m going to stick with sort of genius. Not full on genius, that’s reserved for novels that make me both laugh and cry, math with all sorts of symbols, and world peace. But with lemon prices going through the roof using tomatillos as my citrus tang seems smart. Bonus, you can dip your cucumber in this tomatillo tzatziki and not feel redundant.

This yogurt sauce is great with falafel or just as a straight up dipping sauce for pita bread or veggies. I also like it on grilled meats- Kofta anyone? or even these fresh summer vegetable fritters. ( I especially like it with the pepper fritter!)

this is the perfect mediterranean mexican mashup for meatball soft tacos

Like most great things this basic yogurt sauce recipe has a brimming bucket full of possible variations. I’m calling it Tzatziki because Tomatillo Tzatziki sound better when said aloud.

yogurt sauce: some possible variations…

• switch out the herbs or omit entirely- don’t like dill? try cilantro. okay if you don’t like dill you probably don’t like cilantro. How about mint? or parsley?

• the garlic is also optional if you’re in the mood for something more cooling or add a pinch of granulated garlic instead.

• and, of course, if you’re a hot head like me you can spice it up with pepper flakes or chile powder.

interesting yogurt facts

a yogurt timeline (this ends in 2014 when New York declared it the official state snack) 

Yog! the etymology of the word yogurt

Tomatillo Tzatziki- raita, or just call it yogurt sauce

Tomatillo Tzatziki

a quick and easy yogurt sauce using tomatillos instead of cucumbers. 

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

resting time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 7 minutes mins

Course Gluten free, Side Dish

Cuisine Vegetarian

Servings 1 bowl

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup shredded and drained tomatillos about 3 large or 6 small whole tomatillos
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoons dill or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

 

• husk and clean the tomatillos to remove any sticky residue
• shred tomatillos, toss with a tiny bit of salt, let sit for 10-30 minutes, and drain to remove as much liquid as possible ( I really tried to come up with a genius use for the left over liquid but I failed- cocktail???)
• combine all ingredients (except a pinch of herbs for garnish) in a appropriately sized bowl, stir to combine
• garnish just before serving
• serve chilled- keeps 2-3 days in the fridge

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal

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