Serve this raitalike dressing with any Middle Eastern kebab or kofte (pages 354–356), just as a drizzle, or with any grilled meat, poultry, or fish. If you have a source for fresh yogurt, this is the place to use it. Many times this is made with a teaspoon or more of minced garlic. Obviously, that changes its character greatly, but some people cannot live without it. Good either way.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 cups good-quality whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup or more chopped fresh parsley leaves, fresh mint leaves, or a combination
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice until smooth.
Step 2
Stir in the other ingredients. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to several hours; drain excess liquid if necessary and stir again before serving.
The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.
MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
