garlic sauce/dip??

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amymeenieminymo
amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
Does anyone have any good recipies for that thick garlic dip served at arabic/middle eastern restaurants. I love it but any recipie I've ever tried always tastes very sour from the yogurt and tends to be runny unlike the thick creamy kind at the restaurant.

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  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Does anyone have any good recipies for that thick garlic dip served at arabic/middle eastern restaurants. I love it but any recipie I've ever tried always tastes very sour from the yogurt and tends to be runny unlike the thick creamy kind at the restaurant.
  • agralston
    agralston Posts: 31
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    Unfortuneatly I think you need to use a Full Fat Yogurt and needs to be Greek or Middle Eastern Yogurt. You can get it at a specilty store. (I think you can get it at Whole Foods Market if you have one in your neck of the woods. It also needs to be strained really well to keep it from being runny.
  • buckeyebabe
    buckeyebabe Posts: 235
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    here is one that I found that I have used...hope you like it, we did!

    http://www.greekrecipes.gr/grs/grsp.php?recipeid=204
  • FitJoani
    FitJoani Posts: 2,173 Member
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    im sure you can slim it down but if it is full fat it takes less to be satidfied so it may balance out
  • randimockensturm
    randimockensturm Posts: 49 Member
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    I lived in the middle east for a while and use a recipe that I got from there to make a type of Yogurt dip/cheese spread. I have modified it for my diet too. It entails putting your yogurt thru a coffee filter to remove the excess liquid. [Much easier than it sounds]. You can then 're-hydrate' the filtered yogurt with olive oil. I use plain danon non fat yogurt for my recipe - it tends to not be as sour tasting - the filter process and the olive oil also take the edge off the sour.

    To make this you need a coffee filter [or to improvise a filter ]
    I use a cheap plastic and mesh coffee filter that you can buy at the grocery store.
    You can probably use a paper filter or improvise a filter with cheese cloth or cotton.

    Filter your yogurt over night in the refrigerator.


    INGREDIENTS
    - 1 large container of plain lowfat yogurt
    the following ingredients to your taste.
    - dried [or fresh] finely minced onions
    - dried mint flakes to taste
    - dried [or fresh] parsley to taste
    - dried [or fresh] chives to taste
    - Chopped green or black olives [I prefer to use the dried black Calamati olives]
    - if you have access to a middle eastern grocery you might want to try buying a spice mix called ZATAR. It is awesome
    - Tablespoons of Olive oil. I use lots of it.
  • runningdevil
    runningdevil Posts: 35 Member
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    You should try garlic hummus.
    It would be creamy and garlicky, without all the fat from the yogurt, and have the added health benefits of chickpeas! I eat it all the time with pita chips.
  • randimockensturm
    randimockensturm Posts: 49 Member
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    You should try garlic hummus.
    It would be creamy and garlicky, without all the fat from the yogurt, and have the added health benefits of chickpeas! I eat it all the time with pita chips.

    I agree. Thanks for the idea - going to look up calorie counts on this now. Had not really thought about including Hummus

    AND is even easier to make.!!! here is what I do:

    DUMP THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS INTO A BLENDER.
    - 1 can chick peas [dump out about 1/2 the liquid from the can before]
    - 2-3 garlic cloves [I use 4-5 cloves]
    - 3-4 table spoons of olive oil
    - dash of salt [to taste]
    - 1-2 Tablespoons Tahini [Sesame paste - can buy in any supermarket in ethnic section - just go to middle eastern section.

    Blend to desired consistency. I like it real smooth. Pour into a dish, garnish with parsley sprig and oilive oil
    Voila!
    -
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Thanks these were all great ideas/recipies. I actually do live near many middle eastern markets, it never dawned on me to try there. They may actually have the garlic dip pre-made to buy. Thanks!