Recipe: Cucumber Garlic Yogurt Dip

A friend made this dip for me the other day, and I went straight home to re-create it so that I wouldn't forget the recipe. This is super easy to make, and is a refreshing dip for the hot summer weather.

This is very similar to the Persian Mast-o-Khiar dip, but with bigger cucumber chunks and added garlic.

The amount of fresh mint you put into this dip will depend on taste. This is best served with pita bread or flavored rice.

I would avoid eating this dip if you have a hot date...just sayin :)

This recipe yields 1 cup.

Cucumber Garlic Yogurt Dip
- 1 cup of plain yogurt
- 1 seedless English cucumber, peeled
- 2-3 springs of fresh mint, leaves only (approximately 15-20 leaves)
- 1 garlic, minced
- salt and pepper

Method
1. In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic and mint.

2. Roughly chop the peeled cucumber into small cubes or slices. Add the cucumber to the yogurt mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and serve cold.

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Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)

I am slowly collecting my Persian recipes, and this is the latest one. This is a fresh and easy dip that is great for dinner parties. If you like eggplant and garlic, then this dip is for you.

Some recipes call for eggs and onions but that is not how my mother-in-law makes it. I like to add a bit of paprika for extra sweetness, which is entirely my addition and not traditional in any sense.

Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)
- 10 Chinese eggplants
- 1 (156 mL, 5.5 fl oz) can of tomato paste
- 1 fresh roma tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp of paprika
- 4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. With a fork, poke holes into the eggplants, cut off the stems, place them on a baking tray, and broil low (approximately 15-20 minutes) until they are tender and the skin turns a light brown color. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Peel the eggplants with your hands (the skin should come off easily), discard the skin, and roughly chop the eggplant.

3. In a frying pan, heat the garlic on medium heat with a generous amount of olive oil for 1 minute. Add the eggplant, roma tomato, turmeric, paprika and tomato paste, and cook for another 15 minutes. Once all of the flavors are blended, add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Refrigerate and serve cold. If the dip seems a bit dry, add some olive oil and mix well.

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Baked Pita Chips

When my in-laws came to visit us in Sydney, they left behind so much pita break, we had no idea how to get rid of it. Our freezer was full of pita bread, and our little apartment size fridge was full of it too.

My hubby being a chip lover, I decided to make pita chips. I took out a bunch of spices, cut an overwhelming amount of pita bread, and made bags and bags of chips.
The recipe below calls for spices that I happened to use that particular day. Go ahead and mix whatever spices your heart desires.

Baked Pita Chips
- Pita Bread
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C.

2. Using scissors, cut the pita bread in 2x2 inch squares.

3. In a mixing bowl, drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the pita bread. Mix well. Sprinkle cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper over top of the pita bread. Mix until spices are evenly distributed.

4. Spread a think layer of the seasoned pita bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crispy.

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Hummus

As I was cleaning my mess of a desk, I found a hummus recipe that my cousin had given me at our family Christmas party 2 years ago!

Yes, you heard right...2 years ago. That is how long I have left things to accumulate on my desk until I couldn't use it anymore. You see, I am so used to using my laptop in bed that my desk has become somewhat obsolete.
Unfortunately, using my laptop in bed has given me bad back aches, and I no longer sleep well anymore. Egad, I feel like I'm getting old. I'm using the word egad, I must be getting old ;-)

I decided to clean up my desk and set up a proper office so that I could separate my computer life from my sleep time. In the process, I found this recipe.

I'm so glad I found this recipe because it is as good as I remembered it. The cumin is the secret ingredient. Shhhhh.

Hummus
- 2 cans (540 mL, 19 fl oz. each) of chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 lemons, juice
- 4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup of tahini
- 1/4 tsp of ground cumin
- dash of ground pepper
- 1 large pinch of cayenne pepper

Method
1. Combine all of the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.

There is no need to add salt as the canned chickpeas are already salty. I like my hummus really lemony, so if you don't, I would start with the juice of 1 lemon and go from there. If you like your hummus even creamier, simply add more oil.

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Roasted Chestnut, Mushroom, and Currant Stuffing

Christmas has been at my cousin Stephanie's place for the last 7 years. She makes a huge, elaborate holiday meal for the entire extended family, and her dinners are a lot of fun. Her Christmas dinner is the one event that CK looks forward to every year.

Sadly, she has decided to spend her Christmas out of town this year, which means we're all on our own. Because we've relied on her so much, we're all scrambling trying to figure out what to do.

My small contribution this year is the stuffing.

The first time I tried this recipe, my chestnuts blew up, and I spent hours cleaning the tiny bits of chestnut splattered all over my oven. I had an awful time cleaning the mess I made. I finally figured out a proper way to roast chestnuts, and I must thank Duane Keats for that. He told me to first soak the chestnuts, and then roast them for 40 minutes on low heat (approx 150-200F). His instructions worked perfectly. I did use a sharp knife to cut an X in each chestnut before baking to allow steam to escape...juuuuust in case.

This stuffing is awesome. It is bready on the inside, and slightly crispy on top. The chestnuts and currants add a nice hint of sweetness, and the spices add a comforting taste. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

I wish everyone a splendid holiday, and a happy new year!

Roasted Chestnut, Mushroom, and Currant Stuffing
- 1 loaf of Italian bread, ripped or cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8 oz, 227g of your favorite mushroom, sliced thinly
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 leek, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of dried currants
- 3 cups of chestnuts (in the shell), roasted, de-shelled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp of fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp of finely chopped fresh thyme + 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp of dried rosemary
- 1/4 cup of milk
- salt
- pepper
- small pinch of cinnamon
- small pinch of nutmeg
- small cube of butter, plus extra for greasing

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 300 F/150C. Place the bread pieces on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fully dehydrated. Another way to dry the bread pieces is to leave them out over night.

2. In a lightly buttered pan, sautee the onion, leek, shallot, sage, rosemary, and finely chopped thyme until the onions are translucent. Add the celery and mushrooms, and sautee for another minute or two. Add the chicken broth, a sprig of thyme, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg, and allow the broth to come to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. The broth should be slightly salty so that it is not bland when added to the bread. Turn off the heat, and discard the sprig of thyme.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease a 9x13x2 rectangular baking dish with butter, and set aside. In a large bowl, slowly add the broth mixture to the dehydrated bread. Add milk, dried currants, and chestnuts. Mix well. Be careful not to break the bread pieces. Spoon the bread mixture into the greased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 35 - 40 minutes.

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Bo Bi Rice Paper Rolls

The Bo Bi rice paper roll is a unique Chiu Chow/Vietnamese fusion dish that is commonly eaten by the Cantonese population who migrated to Vietnam. The name 'Bo Bi' is Chinese, and translates to 'thin pancake'. The original Chiu Chow Bo Bi dish uses a thin pancake instead of rice paper, but because rice paper is more commonly found in Vietnam, the Chinese who tried to re-create this dish started using rice paper out of convenience. The ingredients in the roll may vary depending on the family and their preferences.

I had Bo Bi rice paper rolls with my family the other night, and I instantly thought to snap pictures to share with everyone.

This dish is not very complicated to make, but there are many ingredients that need to be prepared. Here is the low down on how to make it.

1. Steam some Chinese sausages and slice them thinly.

Sliced Chinese Sausages

2. Boil julienned carrots and turnips until tender and top it with fried onions. Be sure to make a large pot of this.

Boiled Carrots and Turnips

3. Roast some peanuts

Roasted Peanuts

4. Roast some preserved turnips and slice up a few fried eggs

Fried Eggs and Turnips

5. Wash some lettuce

Lettuce

6. Throw the above ingredients + dried rice paper on the dinner table. Get a big bowl of lukewarm water to dip your rice paper in. Give each person a big plate for wrapping, and away you go.

To make the wrap, dip the entire rice paper in lukewarm water for a few seconds, and set it on your plate. Place a bit of each ingredient in the middle of your rice paper.

Fold in the sides, and roll.

Voila! Once you have it, dip the roll into your favorite sauce. In my household, Sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce, and hot chilli oil are the most popular.

I mentioned above that some of the ingredients may vary from family to family. Other ingredients that could be used are jicama, dried prawns, and sauteed scallions. Of course, you can also try it the traditional way and use a thin pancake instead of rice paper.

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Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing and Coconut

Happy early Halloween everyone!

I made these pumpkin muffins a few days early JUST in case you were looking for that last minute pumpkin recipe before Halloween.

I'm sure some of you are pumpkin and apple'd out, but October is not over yet friends.
These pumpkin muffins are good for you, very filling, and full of spice. They are good for any occasion, and the cream cheese icing and shredded coconut add a very nice touch. I brought some for my sister and her boyfriend, and they each ate two on the spot.

I was in a festive mood, so I decorated a few with a Halloween theme.

This recipe yields 16-18 muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins
- 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp of all spice
- 1/4 tsp of ground clove
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- sweetened shredded coconut to garnish

Cream Cheese Icing- 1 (8oz, 250g) package of light cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup of icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla pod

Method for Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing and Coconut

Make the Pumpkin Muffins:1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

2. In one bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and dry spices together. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin, milk, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and ginger together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix well with a fork.

3. Line a muffin tray with baking cups. Spoon the muffin mixture into the baking cups until they are 3/4 full. Repeat until all the muffin mixture is used up.

4. Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until they are fully cool.

Make the Cream Cheese Icing:
1. With an electric mixer on high speed, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Slowly add in the icing sugar while mixing.

3. Add the vanilla extract. Cut a vanilla pod in half, and scrape the vanilla seeds into the icing. Mix until evenly distributed.

Assemble the Muffin:
1. Using a butter knife, smear a thin layer of icing over top of the muffins.

2. Place the muffin on top of a plate, and sprinkle shredded coconut over top of the muffin until completely covered. Tip the muffin upside down to allow any loose coconut pieces to fall off.

Using low fat cream cheese for the icing will result in a slightly thinner consistency. If you want a think and creamy icing, it is best to use full fat cream cheese.

Here are some of the Halloween muffins I made:

For the next little while, you will have to excuse my posts. I have such a large backlog of travel posts, I'm not sure where to start and finish! I just got back from a short trip to Boston, so stay tuned for a mish mash of posts from Ottawa, Sydney, New Zealand, and Boston.

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Cinnamon Apple Chips

Fall is a great time for apple picking. I love apples because they are antioxidant, full of fiber, and they keep me full longer than any other fruit.

An easy and healthy snack I love to make is cinnamon apple chips. I make a big pile of these, and snack on them constantly. They are a small life saver after work. I'm always famished after a hard day at work, and instead of going for junk, I grab a few of these to keep me going until dinner is ready.

If you want crunchier chips, it is best to use firm apples such as Braeburn or Granny Smith. If you want spongier chips, go for apples such as McIntosh, Red Delicious, or Pink Lady.

Cinnamon Apple Chips
- apples, washed and cored
- cinnamon
- lemon juice

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 150F/65C.

2. Slice the apples thinly (approx 1/8 inch thick) with a mandolin. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay the apples on the baking tray leaving a small space in between each apple slice. Sprinkle a small amount of lemon juice and a small amount of cinnamon over the apple slices.

3. Turn off the oven, and place the baking tray of apples into the oven. Leave overnight. Apples should dehydrate completely, but if not, repeat the process until apples are completely dehydrated.

My favorite types of apples for apple chips are Braeburn and Granny Smith. If I want to eat an apple raw, my favorite is the McIntosh hands down.

Apple Tree from Pinewood Orchards

Here are some apple orchards in the Ottawa & surrounding area:

Pinewood Orchards
101 Herzberg Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-828-4412

AppleHill Fruit Farm
3699 ch. Jockvale Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-786-1111 (in season)

Kilmarnock Orchard
1182 Kilmarnock Road
Jasper, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-284-9843 (seasonal only)
Telephone: 613 283-8964 (off season)

Cannamore Orchard
1480 County Road 32
Crysler, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-448-3633

Jasper Apple Farm and Organics
R.R. #2
Jasper, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-283-8699

Smyth's Apple Orchard
R.R. #1
Iroquois, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-652-2477

Here is a link to Apple Orchards Ontario.

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Date Cake

Five things that have gone obsolete:

1.) Cassette tapes and Walkmans (my favorite was my Color Me Badd tape)
2.) Black and white televisions
3.) Typewriters
4.) Poodle skirts
5.) Ready-made date cake mix

Number 5 is the reason for my post today. My aunt Mims loves date cake. She used to buy the ready-made date cake mix, and make it on a weekly basis. Our grocery stores stopped carrying it about 10 years ago, but she still reminisces about it from time to time. She never learned how to make it, so I decided to make it and bring her back to the good 'ol days.

This recipe yields 1 loaf.

Date Cake
Adapted from Sunshine Recipes
- 1 1/2 cups of chopped dates to which 1 cup of boiling water has been poured over
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 1/3 cups of 7 grain flour (or a mixture of all purpose flour and 7 grain flour)
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

2. Cream together the sugar and oil. Add in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dates with water, egg, and milk. Mix well. Stir in the pecans.

3. Grease a loaf pan (9x5x3 inches). Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove the date cake from the pan, and let it cool on a cooling rack.

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I was seriously craving spanakopitas and was set to make them until CK reminded me that phyllo probably isn't the healthiest thing, if I was planning on eating it in large quantities. I thought about it, whined a little, but agreed with him in the end. Now, phyllo itself is not all that bad for you. It is made of flour, water, and a little bit of oil...harmless right? But, most of the recipes I saw required me to butter the phyllo pastry before filling it with spinach and feta. That, I guess, is the unhealthy part.

After sleeping on the idea, I woke up with a revelation. I was going to make the spanakopitas in dip form! The phyllo pastry simply got replaced with whole wheat baguette, and I added artichokes and other herbs into the dip for more flavor. It turned out awesome, and my family thoroughly enjoyed the dip.

This recipe yields 4 cups.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- 312g (11 oz.) baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 (398 ml) can of artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- 6 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb (0.23kg) of light feta, crumbled
- 4 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 5 Tbsp of low fat plain yogurt
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C.

2. Make sure the vegetables and herbs are dry before chopping them. This is to avoid the dip being too watery. In a lightly oiled pan, sautee the garlic for about 30 seconds. Add in the spinach, dill, scallions and mint, and sautee for approx 3-5 minutes or until the veggies have wilted. Remove from pan and drain any excess liquid.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the wilted vegetables, crumbled feta, and artichokes. Add in salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Transfer the spinach and artichoke mixture into a baking dish, and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes.

4. Right before serving, stir in the yogourt and lemon juice. Mix well and serve.

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The Chip Maker: Microwaved Chips

 

Believe it or not, the chips pictured above were made by microwave. Yes, like you, I thought it was a gross idea... until I tried them *blush*.

Wals' sister was recently in Taiwan, and bought him a "Chip Maker". Being too lazy to make his own chips, he figured I would make better use of the contraption. Being the food dork I am, I was excited by the gift, and ran home to use it.

In reality, this chip maker really isn't a chip maker. It is a mandoline + chip container that you can put in the microwave.

Here's how this puppy works:

You slice your potatoes.

Throw your potato slices, with some seasoning, onto the chip carousel.

Microwave for 5-8 minutes, and ta da!

I made regular potato chips and sweet potato chips, and both tasted good. These were the flavors I tried:

- sea salt and pepper (excellent).
- cayenne pepper and salt (not bad...they were spicy).
- Terriyaki (Wouldn't try this at home, stick to dry salty spices. I used a terriyaki marinade and the sugars completely burnt the chips).

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Beurre Marchand de Vin

As mentioned in my last post, I absolutely loved the butter Chef Ashlee made for her Mother's Day dinner.

It was so good, I decided to share the recipe with y'all. A shallot red wine reduction is added to the butter, creating a pretty pink color, and an OOSOME flava (my attempt at an Aussie accent).
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. As my father-in-law always says, "Bon Appétity!"

Beurre Marchand de Vin (Wine Merchant Butter)- 2 brs persil/parsley
- 100 g echalotes/shallots
- 200 ml vin rouge/red wine
- 100g beurre/butter
- 1 pc citron, jus/lemon, juice

Method1. Finely chop the shallots. Combine it with the red wine in a pot, bring to a boil, and reduce.
2. Finely chop the parsley, and fold it into the butter.
3. Add the red wine reduction and lemon into the butter mixture. Mix well.
4. Put the butter into a piping bag, and pipe the butter mixture onto a lining tray. Refrigerate until hard, and serve.

This butter goes well with meats, but heck, eat it with whatever you like.

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Healthy Banana Bread

This is a super healthy banana bread recipe that my mom-in-law shared with me. As mentioned, she is the Queen of making healthy desserts that taste amazing. This is no exception. Every time I make this, my banana bread doesn't even last a day. It smells awesome when it first comes out of the oven, and tastes great when served warm. I love peeling off and eating the crunchy top of the loaf when it is still hot.

This recipe yields 1 loaf.

Healthy Banana Bread
- 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas
- 1 cup of sifted all purpose flour
- 1 cup of 9 grain flour (or whole wheat flour)
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C

2. Sift the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Add in the whole grain flour and sugar.

3. Add in the oil, bananas, and eggs. Mix well.

4. Combine the milk and lemon juice, and stir until a uniform batter is formed. Stir in the walnuts.

5. Grease a loaf pan (9x5x3 inches). Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

6. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes. Note that the top of your loaf will brown before it is fully cooked. Remove banana bread from pan, let it cool on a cooling rack, and serve.

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Ginger Scallion Beef Tripe

Ginger scallion beef tripe is one of my favorite dim sum dishes. It usually comes in a small dish, and I find it is never enough. I love making tripe at home because I can make and eat as much as I want. I buy beef tripe from a Chinese butcher, and it is important to find tripe that is cleaned well by the butcher. I usually judge it by its color: the whiter the better. In Ottawa, I get my beef tripe from 168 Market.

Beef tripe is the stomach lining of a cow, and is a general term in the sense that it can be from any one of the three stomach compartments. In dim sum, the omasum is used, which is the third compartment of the stomach.

The Chinese believe that good food does not need to be masked with strong sauces. Hence, the sauce for this dish is very mild in flavor, and is enhanced ever so slightly using ginger, garlic, and scallions.

This is one of those dishes where the texture is just as important as the taste. Good tripe should be tender, yet crunchy at the same time. The biggest challenge for most people is getting past the thin, bumpy textured sheets that dangle from the base of the tripe.

This recipe makes 4 servings.
Ginger Scallion Beef Tripe
- 1/2 kg beef tripe
- 1 piece of ginger (approx 2 inches x 1 inch in size)
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 - 1 tsp salt (depends on taste)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 scallions

Method1. Bring a pot of water to a boil (use enough water to fully immerse the beef tripe). Quickly rinse the beef tripe under cold water, and boil the entire piece of beef tripe in the pot of boiling water for 20 minutes.

2. Drain the water, and run the beef tripe under cold water for a few seconds. Cut the beef tripe in 1/2 inch slices, and set aside in a bowl.

3. Allow the tripe to completely cool and dry. I usually like to cook this over 2 days. I boil the tripe in the evening, and then once it is cooled, I cover it with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge until I'm ready to cook it the next day. It is best to stir fry the tripe when it is dry.

4. When ready to stir fry the beef tripe, cut the scallions and ginger into matchstick size pieces. Heat oil and garlic in a pan on maximum heat. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Throw in the beef tripe, ginger, salt, sugar and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes. The beef tripe will release water which will form the sauce.

5. Add in the scallions, and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a dish and serve.

Remember that the texture of the beef tripe should be tender but crunchy at the same time. If you find the sauce too mild, you can always boil the beef tripe in beef or chicken stock.

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Mast-o Khiar, Persian Cucumber and Yogurt Dip

CK just got on a plane to go back to Sydney, and we're apart again...*sigh*.

With all the eating out we had been doing, I am looking forward to cooking and eating healthier again. I was in the mood for something light and quick tonight, so I decided to make a Persian cucumber and yogurt dip (mast-o khiar in farsi).

This is a great dip that is light and easy to make. It is very mild in taste so you can use it for just about anything. I like to eat it with pita bread, rice, grilled chicken, and/or raw veggies. I love making this in the summer time, and I find the juices from the cucumber helps quench the thirst.

Persians eat a lot of yogurt because of its health benefits. Anytime my stomach is not feeling well, I am told by CK's mom to eat yogurt.

This recipe yields 2 cups.

Mast-o Khiar, Persian Cucumber and Yogurt Dip
- 2 cups of low fat plain yogurt (if you prefer a creamier dip, use whole-milk yogurt)
- 1 Tbsp dried mint
- 1/2 seedless English cucumber
- salt and pepper to taste
- ground rose petals and fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method
1. With a cheese grater, grate the cucumber into a bowl. Do not use too fine of a grater. This will cause the cucumber to release a lot of cucumber juice, causing your dip to be too watery.

2. With a spoon, press on the grated cucumber to release any excess cucumber juice. Discard the juice.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, and dried mint. Mix well.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. I used about 1/4 tsp of salt and a few dashes of pepper. Mix well.

5. Sprinkle ground rose petals and fresh mint leaves for garnish.

There are other variations of this dip, and if you find this one too mild in taste, try adding raisins, minced garlic, fresh dill, and/or walnuts.

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