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    You are here: Home / Cooking Times / a) 30 mins or less / Cacik

    Cacik

    1 October 2018 - By Michelle Minnaar
    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Cacık, also known as Turkish cacik or tzatziki, is a yoghurt-based sauce. You can have a wonderful lunch dipping warm pita bread in cacik, and even enjoy the latter as a soup, as they do in Turkey.

    A bowl of Cacik with olive oil drizzled on top

    Being light and refreshing, this cacik sauce is commonly served with heavier meat recipes, such as lamb tikka. This side dish recipe goes hand-in-hand with any Mediterranean-inspired meal.

    Preparation time is very low and it doesn’t involve any cooking. However, to make this recipe a success, you’ll need to make use of premium quality ingredients, with the most important element being yogurt.

    Fortunately, this is where the Lancashire Farm Natural Bio Yoghurt comes to the rescue!

    Turkish cacik recipe with the best yoghurt

    This recipe is a doddle if you have high-quality yoghurt at your fingertips. Cue Lancashire Farm Natural Bio Yoghurt. This gluten-free product contains bio-live cultures and is suitable for vegetarians.

    Thick, smooth and simply irresistible. In fact, it’s so good, there is one sold every two seconds in the UK! Lancashire Farm products have a grazing guarantee, meaning that the cows are free to roam on the fields at least 150 days of the year.

    Happy cow produces quality milk and 100% of the milk is British.

    The products come in two sizes – 1kg and 500g. So, if you would like to make a large batch of cacik, feel free and entire big tub. Cacik stores quite well, so you can serve it with various dishes during the week.

    Other products from Lancashire Farm which you can use or might like try include:

    • Fat-Free Yoghurt
    • Greek Style Yoghurt
    • Fat-Free Greek Style Yoghurt

    Any of the above yoghurts can easily be used for preparing this recipe. The golden rule is that the yoghurt should be plain, i.e. unflavoured.

    If you’re thinking of sprucing up your breakfast, Lancashire Farm also has fruity flavours on offer, namely strawberry, coconut and mango.

    Since the yoghurt contains no artificial colours or flavours, it makes for an ideal snack for kids. You can check out all of the Lancashire Farm products here.

    Ingredients to make cacik : cucumber, yogurt, lemons, dills, garlic

    about Lancashire Farm

    Established in 1984, Lancashire Farm specialises in producing premium quality natural yoghurts made with locally sourced milk. The company is a proud holder of many awards, such as the Nantwich International Cheese Show, as well as at the Great Yorkshire Show. You can check out all their awards here.

    The tops of Lancashire yogurt cartons

    the board game

    Have you heard of the Lancashire Farm board game yet? Recently the company came up with this novel idea of putting the fun back into breakfast.

    The board game is a breakfast creation game which showcases the versatility of yoghurt with regards to the different toppings and sauces that can be eaten with it. Dare to play? Check it out here.

    My daughter had great fun rolling the die and struck it it lucky with fresh banana, oats and honey. This is a great way to introduce new foods to fussy kids!

    Breakfast Yogurt

    history and origins of Turkish cacik

    Cacik is native to Turkey but is very much enjoyed all across Middle Eastern countries, South Balkans and especially in Greece. Over there, you might know it as tzatziki.

    The word ‘cacik’ is historically derived from the Persian word ‘zhans’ which means herb mixture. In the past, and in the Middle East today, it was prepared with a cheese, called labneh.

    Labneh is a really thick yoghurt cheese which is strained, hence tasting slightly on the sour side.

    what is the difference between cacik and tzatziki?

    Cacik and tzatziki are more or less the same. It only depends on where you eat it!  Generally, you associate cacik with Turkey, whereas tzatziki is Greek. Generally speaking, tzatziki has a Greek-yoghurt base and contains extremely thin slices of cucumber and lots of shredded garlic and dill.

    This Greek dip recipe is finished off with dried oregano, salt, pepper and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. In Greece, it’s best enjoyed with souvlaki meat, pita bread or olives.

    Pita bread, yogurt and cacik on a counter

    how to make authentic Turkish cacik

    Cacik slightly varies from tzatziki in the sense that it’s finished off with sumac, which is an acidic spice with vinegary taste. Furthermore, the Turkish version sometimes calls for fresh mint, instead of dill.

    In Turkey, it’s traditional to dilute the cacik with water and serve it as a soup. The locals use it to cool down during hot and sunny Mediterranean summers.

    Let’s not also forget the Balkan version of cacik.  Here, you might know the cacik as ‘tarator’. Tarator dip usually contains pieces of nuts and thinly sliced onions and is commonly found in Balkan countries like Albania where they serve it as a side dish to grilled squid.

    cacik tips and variations

    Here is some food for thought. If you want to play around with different textures, you can alter the way you prepare the cucumber. You can peel the vegetable, leave the skin on for extra texture, grate it or cut it into tiny cubes.

    The cubes will lend some crunchiness to the yogurt sauce.  However, the traditional way to serve cacik is to grate the cucumber so that it blends into the yoghurt. 

    Also, when you’re preparing cacik, you can easily substitute lemon juice with standard vinegar for extra sharpness. Feel free to play around with different herbs; oregano, mint and fresh thyme – have fun!

    Lettuce pita

    delicious Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dip

    If you love cacik, you’ll also love making these Greek dips – melitzanosalata. It’s another popular dip as well as a side dish that you can’t ignore if you travel to Greece or the rest of the Mediterranean region.

    Likewise, a hummus dip, white bean dip  or htipiti can also be just what you are looking for.

    What is your favourite Turkish recipe?

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    Cacik

    Cacık


    ★★★★★

    4.6 from 7 reviews

    • Author: Michelle Minnaar
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 10 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Cacik is a delicious yogurt-based dip with grated cucumber and dill. Learn the difference between a Turkish cacik, Greek tzaziki or Balkan tarator. Enjoy!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 250g (½ lb) cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
    • 20ml (4 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
    • 40g (1½ oz) dill, finely chopped
    • 1kg (2 lbs) Lancashire Farm Greek yogurt
    • Salt, to taste
    • Pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Place the cucumber in a sieve, salt it abundantly and let it stand for 5 minutes.
    2. After the allotted time squeeze all the excess water out of the cucumber.
    3. Add the garlic and olive oil to the food processor and blend until it forms a smooth paste.
    4. Place the cucumber, garlic paste, dill and yogurt in a big bowl along with some salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients with your hands until all the elements have dispersed evenly.
    5. Place the dip in a bowl, drizzle it with olive oil and enjoy.

    Notes

    • Serve with any barbecued meat or eat with vegetable crudités, chips or fresh bread.
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Cuisine: Turkish

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 227
    • Sugar: 19.5 g
    • Sodium: 127 mg
    • Fat: 4.1 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 23.4 g
    • Protein: 24.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 5 mg

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    Cacik

    P.S. This is a sponsored post.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alica

      October 04, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      I love Gözleme! Spicy lamb and feta served in flatbread, its delicious!

      Reply
    2. Kim Neville

      October 04, 2018 at 4:46 pm

      I like Adana when we go to a restaurant

      Reply
    3. Solange

      October 04, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      Kofta burgers

      Reply
    4. Kelly Hirst

      October 05, 2018 at 7:29 am

      I love a Turkish kebab and salad

      Reply
    5. Jane Willis

      October 06, 2018 at 6:28 am

      Lamachun – I don’t think that’s the proper spelling, I’m sure there’s a “j” in there somewhere – the street food flatbreads topped with spicy lamb

      Reply
    6. Ash R x

      October 08, 2018 at 4:15 pm

      Definitely Turkish kebab 🙂 with all the trimmings x

      Reply
    7. Tracy Nixon

      October 08, 2018 at 7:24 pm

      I love Turkish one-pan eggs & peppers (Menemen)!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. iain maciver

      October 09, 2018 at 2:30 pm

      Kofta burgers

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Annabel Greaves

      October 09, 2018 at 2:38 pm

      I love spicy falafels

      Reply
    10. Chris Andrews

      October 09, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      What is your favourite Turkish recipe? . . . .does Turkish Delight count??

      Reply
    11. Mike Ambler

      October 09, 2018 at 7:01 pm

      Dont cook a lot of turkish dishes basically lamb kofta with pitta breads and mint yoghurt dip.

      ★★★★

      Reply
    12. Tracy Newton

      October 09, 2018 at 7:49 pm

      Homemade kofta kebabs with all the trimmings and a big salad

      Reply
    13. Sadiyya Maryam

      October 09, 2018 at 8:00 pm

      The Turkish street food dish Lahmacun is delicious.

      Reply
    14. Laura Pritchard

      October 10, 2018 at 12:29 pm

      Spiced lamb & feta gozleme with special tomato sauce

      ★★★★

      Reply
    15. Andrea Upton

      October 10, 2018 at 2:51 pm

      The fried aubergines with minced meat

      Reply
    16. Sally Collingwood

      October 10, 2018 at 3:46 pm

      Kofta burgers for me!

      Reply
    17. Claire Woods

      October 10, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      Spicy Bulgur Pilaf

      Reply
    18. cheryl hadfield

      October 10, 2018 at 9:25 pm

      Homemade kofta kebabs with dips and salad

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Ruth Harwood

      October 11, 2018 at 11:39 am

      lamb Kofta xx

      ★★★★

      Reply
    20. Deirdre M

      October 11, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Sultan’s Lamb on a bed of smokey aubergine mash!

      Reply
    21. Kim Carberry

      October 11, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      Kofta kebabs with dips and salad

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    22. Angie McDonald

      October 12, 2018 at 4:32 pm

      My favourite Turkish recipe is Manti (Turkish dumplings)

      Reply
    23. Keith Hunt

      October 12, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      Yoğurtlu Patlıcan

      Reply
    24. Maxine G

      October 14, 2018 at 8:45 am

      Turkish baked eggs – tasty, healthy and filling

      Reply
    25. Emma Howard

      October 14, 2018 at 9:00 pm

      I love kofta kebabs

      Reply
    26. Joanne Billington

      October 15, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Lamb kebabs

      Reply
    27. Susan B

      October 15, 2018 at 6:14 pm

      Turkish Delight is an enduring favourite in our house.

      Reply
    28. Tee Simpson

      October 18, 2018 at 9:32 pm

      Kofta kebabs. Kids love them

      Reply
    29. Lynda Graham

      October 19, 2018 at 7:23 am

      Lamb kofta burgers in pitta bread – served with salad and a mint dip.

      Reply
    30. Rachael Sexey

      October 20, 2018 at 10:19 am

      Lamb Kofta ❤

      Reply
    31. clair downham

      October 22, 2018 at 12:00 pm

      kofta kebabs thankyou

      Reply
    32. janine atkin

      October 22, 2018 at 3:51 pm

      Kofta kebabs

      Reply
    33. Adrian Bold

      October 26, 2018 at 4:08 am

      Kofta burgers are my favourite.

      Reply
    34. Victoria Prince

      October 26, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      My favourite Turkish recipe is mercimek köfte.

      (Love the Toppers game, what a fantastic idea!)

      Reply
    35. maria

      October 26, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      I love baklava!

      Reply
    36. Mandy Betts

      October 28, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      Lamb kofta

      Reply
    37. Naila Mo

      October 28, 2018 at 1:09 pm

      Definitely Lamb Koftas

      Reply
    38. Anthea Holloway

      October 28, 2018 at 7:04 pm

      I don’t know any Turkish recipes – only Turkish Delight and I love that.

      Reply
    39. Sheri Darby

      October 28, 2018 at 7:25 pm

      Kofta Kebabs

      Reply
    40. Jules page

      October 30, 2018 at 7:02 am

      Dalmardes

      Reply
    41. ROBERT MCINTOSH

      October 30, 2018 at 9:02 am

      Lamb kofta

      Reply
    42. A.E. ADKINS

      October 30, 2018 at 9:49 am

      Lamb kofta kebabs are our Turkish favourite dish

      Reply
    43. sharon martin

      October 30, 2018 at 4:03 pm

      i don’t think i’ve ever had a turkish meal, but spiced lamb sounds tasty

      Reply
    44. Tammy Neal

      October 30, 2018 at 10:13 pm

      Lamb kofta

      Reply

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    about michelle

    Welcome to my eclectic collection of recipes from all four corners of the world. I hope to inspire you to get into the kitchen and never eat a boring meal ever again. Want to know more?

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