Spirulina cacık

Ingredients

• 400 g thick strained yogurt (süzme yoğurt)
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 2 g spirulina powder (about 1 teaspoon)
• Small handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
• Small handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• Half a teaspoon dried mint (for the finish)
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Salt the grated cucumber lightly and set it in a sieve to drain for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water with your hands.
2. Mix the yogurt with the garlic paste, olive oil, fresh mint, and dill. Season with salt.
3. Stir in the drained cucumber.
4. Add spirulina at the very end, off the counter, and stir gently until the colour is uniform. The cold yogurt keeps the spirulina below 70°C and preserves the phycocyanin.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and dust with dried mint.

Why this pairing works

Cold yogurt is the ideal spirulina vehicle: the acidity is mild enough not to affect colour, the fat in full-fat yogurt aids carotenoid absorption, and the strong fresh herb flavour completely masks any ocean note at this dose. Turkish sheep's-milk yogurt is richer and handles the colour better than low-fat alternatives.