Everyfood Yogurt Sauce

Bold and brazen as ever, I decided to cook three entirely new menu items for Shabbat dinner. Well, it wasn't that bold; only George and I had to eat our little experiment. Of course the meal was a triumph—for me, triumphs generally occur alone in a sealed chamber where no one can witness them. George made two amazing loaves of bread from scratch in only two hours (more on that later). I made a curry and a Turkish dish, Patlican. All three of these foods paired in the most gratifying way with a yogurt sauce out of Madhur Jaffrey's book, World of the East Vegetarian Cooking.

The yogurt sauce I'm used to is raita, which requires cucumber, dill, and/or mint. It is Tasty Cool Goodness. But we had neither cucumber, dill, nor mint. Jaffrey's sauce ingredients were already in our pantry and there's a good chance you have them too. In retrospect, I think the mortar and pestle were overkill to pulverize one small garlic clove, but George enjoyed working out his aggressions that way, so more power to you if that's your weapon of choice. Smashing the clove with the flat of your knife blade and then mincing it, or crushing it with a garlic press will work too.

Everyfood Yogurt Sauce

1 Cup plain, nonfat yogurt (Stonyfield Farms works great)
1 clove garlic, beaten to a pulp or at least made small and juicy
a few shakes fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

See? I knew you had most of those ingredients.

1. Beat the yogurt with a fork or whisk until it is smooth and creamy.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Mix.
4. Chill.
5. Use a spoon.

Serve as a condiment with a tasty curry, or spoon over Patlican. Or sop up bread with it. Or dress a salad. Or a sandwich. Knock yourself out.