How to Make Cacik

Cacik is primarily yogurt. It can be used as a dressing, a dip or even eaten on it's own. Cacik is similar to Tzatziki - I guess you could say it's the Turkish version of Greek Tzatziki.

Step 1 Ingridients

1 Cucumber
1 Cup of Yogurt
Salt
1 Clove of Garlic

Comments

[rodthesod]

when in Turkey i always prefer my cacik made with climbing spinach (aka malabar) as the main ingredient. However, when i make it myself at home I use ordinary (English) spinach also plus some chopped scallions, mint, chopped cucumber, lemon juice,salt/white pepper,& some chopped parsley sometimes.  A pinch of powdered mustard if you want to spice it up a bit. Essentially, you can add whatever takes your fancy to make it a more tasty dish which you can sup on while watching TV at night - or as an appetiser,etc., etc! 

[3ngin3]

hello, I'm from Turkey and I have some advices to eat this dish. You see, it's not a meal and not an appetizer as well. Turks usually eat/drink this while eating the main dish. It makes it more delicious I think.
Second is, yogurt is really important here because it contains the main taste. It should taste "clean" and not-sour. It shouldnt be so watery or thick.
well that's all :)

[zachninme]

Ohh! Isn't that that stuff for Gyro sandwiches? (I watch too much Good Eats...)

[karossii]

Here in American fast food Gyro stands at least, Tzatziki (which is the same thing as Cacik - see Nilsar's comment) is indeed used in Gyros. And when I worked at a Gyro stand in a mall about 18 years ago or so, we made the sauce (back then I had no idea what it was called) from Yogurt, shredded cucumber, and garlic. One of the owners liked to throw in a secret mix of spices; which I am pretty sure was dill and a bit of cilantro... and it went wonderfully in it, but that was only for his private reserve of the sauce, which we employees could sample. Once we ran out of Yogurt and the sauce, and we made it purely with Sour Cream, it wasn't as good but it was passable... so I could see a half and half mix of Yogurt and Sour Cream working (though I would stick with just Yogurt myself). I've heard of it being made with mayonnaise as well, but that just sounds disgusting to me.

[Derin]

it isnt(from a turkish person)

[trebuchet03]

Perhaps - they're probably using Tzatziki.... I think tzatziki typically has olive oil and an added acid (like lemon juice or a little vinegar). But ya, you could use this stuff if in Gyros if you want :)

I haven't watched that show in a long, long time....

[Wolfbird]

For what it's worth now: Yes, I add either lemon juice or vinegar (but not too much, maybe a splash or so) in my tzatziki. I have never used olive oil. I do put in parsley though; fresh is best, dried adds a little something-something as far as taste and color are concerned. The guy I stole the recipe for puts in about half a bunch of shopped fresh parsley leaves... I think this is excessive and just guesstimate it (ie: the "dump it in until it looks about right" method).

[technick29]

Good Eats & gyros ROCK. Oh, and good Instructable, I'll have to make it sometime!

[homba]

Had this tonight for dinner. My Aunt brought her recipe back from Turkey where most of her family was stationed in the US Air Force. Hers is plain yogurt, diced cucumbers, garlic, and then some salt and a little olive oil. That goes on tabouli bread (or just pita bread). Then it gets topped with a mixture of diced green olives pepper and olive oil (and a little more garlic if you're so inclined). Proportions are to taste but this is yummy stuff :)

[Derin]

(removed by author or community request)

[trebuchet03]

You can eat this by itself, serve with crackers - use as a pita dressing etc.

I don't know what you do with your dips - but I eat them ;)

In any case, I eat it standalone - but, it's foolish to think that there is only one consumption vector for any food ;)

[Derin]

i noticed that no dip is mentioned,but I know my grandpa dips bread in cac1k

[kerembasaran]

Dill is as important as cucumber in cacik. You should definitely have some dill in your cac1k, and take it easy on the salt.

I avoid cacik with my food because i like cacik (and yoghurt) so much i fill myself up with it and don't eat my main dish :)

[Nilsar]

In modern Turkish the "c" curve is a "j" as in the english Jam or edge. Phonetically /dj/ not as in the second "g" of garage, or as in the french-je. /dj/ is easily transmutable to /dz/ then into /tz/ as the the greeks pronounce it. The final "i" is a grammatical adaptation to Greek to get tzatziki. Anyway you spoon it though, it's delish!

[kittenlover666]

thanks i love cacik.

[Weissensteinburg]

Whenever I see the word "Cacik" I think it says "Crack" I'm not much of a cucumber guy...I prefer pickled cucumbers.

[Cartuner55]

ha when i first saw this instructable in cooking for one i thought, "How to make CRACK????? WTF!!" then i read better, and clicked the link, and read Weissensteinburg's comment, "Whenever I see the word "Cacik" I think it says "Crack" I'm not much of a cucumber guy...I prefer pickled cucumbers." and commented back..... (repeat)

[Derin]

that may work

[Crash2108]

Cockik

[backcountry]

A couple of mods from my own experience: - Half yoghurt, half sour-cream gives a thicker, richer result. - A handful of mint leaves is a nice flavorful touch. - I even throw in chili and cumin sometimes for some extra kick.

[Derin]

yes mint is pretty good i think you shouldnt use sour cream because the thing is already sour enough(dependant on your liking)

[Derin]

good job on explaining this um...food I really think it is good since i see this a lot(im turkish)

[Lithium Rain]

Lol

when I first saw the title I thought it said

How to make crack

So imagine my relief when I found that it really says
How to Make Cacik

[Sunbanks]

I thought that too! I was just looking throught the ible's when what looks like "How to make crack" comes up!

[Lithium Rain]

It kinda freaked me out for a sec...lol.

[Sunbanks]

Haha yeah. At first I wondered why there would be an instructable on how to make crack.

[geisterleitung]

Yea, that's pretty much the recipe for tzatziki. yummy.