Turkish Caçik: Yogurt Sauce with Fresh Herbs

I use this recipe as a topping for all of my dolmas, or stuffed vegetable recipes like stuffed peppers, grape leaves, tomatoes. It’s thick and lemony and my suggestion is to only use fresh herbs, not dried. Use garlic sparingly if you’re sensitive to the pungency of it. Taste as you go to get just the right proportions. Use the measurements below as a guideline, but it’s easy to make more or less by simply tasting as you go.

Ingredients

• 2 cups thick yogurt (I prefer suzme yoğurt when in Turkey)
• 1-2 cloves fresh chopped garlic 
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, dill, and parsley leaves
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions 

Mix all ingredients to combine. Taste for flavor, adjust if necessary. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Pour over cooked grape leaves or other types of dolma upon serving, with a lemon wedge on the side. 

Afiyet Olsun!