This is the best yogurt dip ever | Middle East and North Africa | National Dish Recipe

I was cooking up some Moroccan Lamb the other day and wanted the best yogurt dip ever to go with all the flatbread and spice action.

This isn’t from Morocco, but who cares, it’s amazing – I’d say it was Middle Eastern, leaning toward Israel.

It’s nutty with Pomegranate – so a crunchy mutha – the textures are really fun.

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The best yogurt dip ever - here's how you make it

This thing is so quick and easy, don't feel that you need it to go with something, it would make a great appetiser or just whip it out when your buddies are round for drinks.

Course

Dips and bits, Side Dish, Starter

Cuisine

Middle Eastern

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

5 Minutes

Servings

People

Ingredients

• 1 massive tub Greek yogurt get as much as you want to serve, it goes real fast, so be generous
• 1 large handful almonds keep em whole, we're gonna toast them
• 1 whole pomegranate remove the seeds (you can buy them pre-prepped if you want)
• 1 good handful mint you want fresh mint leave, chopped
• half cucumber slice it length ways and with a teaspoon deseed it - then chop. Leave some as half moons on the side - see pic
• 1 good pinch sea salt flakes only Maldon will do
• good quality rape seed oil you can use good olive oil if you like, either way - ONLY USE THE GOOD STUFF

Course Dips and bits, Side Dish, Starter Cuisine Middle Eastern Prep Time 20 Minutes Cook Time 5 Minutes Servings People Ingredients 1 massive tub Greek yogurt get as much as you want to serve, it goes real fast, so be generous 1 large handful almonds keep em whole, we're gonna toast them 1 whole pomegranate remove the seeds (you can buy them pre-prepped if you want) 1 good handful mint you want fresh mint leave, chopped half cucumber slice it length ways and with a teaspoon deseed it - then chop. Leave some as half moons on the side - see pic 1 good pinch sea salt flakes only Maldon will do good quality rape seed oil you can use good olive oil if you like, either way - ONLY USE THE GOOD STUFF

Instructions

1. Get a frying pan on a medium high heat and throw in all of the almonds. Keep em moving from time to time, you just want them to catch a little but not burn - defo some charring. Keep an eye on them whilst you do the rest.
2. Get a mixing bowl, you won't serve it in this, and put all the yogurt in with a good pinch of salt.
3. Prep your cucumber (chop it chunky and hold back a handful of half moons on the side), pomegranate and mint leaves. Check your almonds - don't burn them!
4. Get a mortar and pestle and smash up 1/2 of the almonds - rough, not fine - we want chunks. Add them to the remaining whole almonds and then add 2/3 of the lot to the yogurt along with the 2/3 of the mint and 2/3 of the chopped cucumber. That will leave you with 1/3 as a mix of whole and smashed almonds, 1/3 each of the mint and cucumber - will make sense at the end.
5. Now add 2/3 of the pomegranate and gently fold. The reason for this is that you want to keep the yogurt white and avoid turning it pink - you might be thinking, ooh - I'll make mine pink. Don't! You'll only get annoyed with yourself.
6. Now you should have a white, mixed-through dip. Now grab a nice looking bowl of a decent size and gently pour the mixture in to it - try not to make a mess if you want it to look good.
7. Take the remaining mint, almonds mix, pomegranate and cucumber and in any order you like, from a height, sprinkle it over the top - covering as much as possible. Follow that with a generous pinch of Sea Salt and then a generous drizzle of golden virgin Rape Seed oil.
8. Serve with flat breads of all kinds. Immense.
9. Thank you Israel