Kefir cucumber dip

A good cucumber dip is fresh, thick and a little garlicky. With strained milk kefir that is easy: the kefir gives a creamy base with a fresh tang, the cucumber adds bite and the dill makes it summery. Put it out at a barbecue next to grilled lamb, chicken or vegetables, spread it in a wrap, or serve it with a bowl of crisps and some radishes. It holds up well when the barbecue gets moved indoors because of a passing shower, which in a British summer you can more or less plan for.

The secret: drain everything well

A watery dip nearly always comes down to one of two things: the kefir has not strained long enough, or there is still too much liquid in the cucumber. A cucumber is mostly water, and the salt draws it out. Take your time squeezing: twist the tea towel tightly and keep going until almost nothing drips out. You will be left with about half the volume, and that is exactly right.

The same goes for the kefir. After 4 hours in the cloth it is as thick as soft cheese. If you already have strained kefir cheese in the fridge, use 300 g of it and skip the first step.

Variations

• Mint and cumin: fresh mint instead of dill and a pinch of ground cumin. Very good with lamb and falafel.
• Chives and radish: no cucumber, but finely chopped radishes and a big bunch of chives. Lovely with new potatoes in early summer.
• Roasted pepper: two roasted peppers from a jar, finely chopped and well drained, with a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Garlic sauce for kebabs: no cucumber, two cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of lemon juice and a little extra oil. Thin enough to drizzle.
• Smoked fish: flake 100 g of smoked mackerel into the dip with a little horseradish. A spread for oatcakes or wholemeal toast more than a dip.

Serving and storing

Serve the dip cold, with a drizzle of oil and a few dill fronds on top. It goes with almost everything off the grill, with falafel, in a pitta with salad, or as a sauce over a baked potato. Covered, it keeps for three days in the fridge. Some liquid may gather on top: just stir it back in.

For the kefir itself you use 20 g milk kefir grains and 1 litre of whole milk, 24 hours at 20 to 25°C, as described in How to make milk kefir. A slightly sharper kefir that has stood a little longer is no problem here: garlic and lemon carry it well. For the salad next to it, try the kombucha vinaigrette.

Frequently asked questions

With live milk kefir grains you always have a jar ready for a dip or a spread. All recipes and guides are on the milk kefir page.