All you need to know about Jajik (Turkish Yogurt)

 

Jajik vs Tzatziki

Because it is in fact two sides of the same coin, as it states Jajik or tzatziki depends on, whether it is respectively Turkish or Greek. Once I thought, that it of course was the Greeks, who had the “copyright” for this dish. When I was “Turk-ified” I obviously have since thought, that it was Turkish and that the difference was, that the Greeks sometimes uses dill (although Turks also can find it), and the Turks rather spend a little dried mint. But it’s apparently not quite as easy as that. It’s all mixed well together, and if you investigate a little, you can find Jajik across the Middle East, just with slight variations. But the word had come from the Armenian “cacig“. Turkish jajik and Greek tzatziki are likely made with the same ingredients. Tzatziki is a garlicky thick yogurt with grated cucumber. The cucumber is typically squeezed off most of its water, ensuring a thick and spreadable dip. It’s always served as a meze, or as a side dish. But for the Turkish Jajik is usually heavier and the dried mint is powerful in its taste. Furthermore, Jajik is commonly served as a cooling soup dish at the height of summer, either alone or as a side dish to hot food. It can also, however, be served thicker and more similar to tzatziki. Because of this, the cucumber is rarely squeezed off its water like for tzatziki. Indeed, most Turks will simply grate or chop the cucumber and add it as is.