I have been making this cardamom yoghurt as a topping for my red lentil patties for ages. It compliments South Asian flavours perfectly and the coll, tanginess of the yoghurt also does wonders in curbing some heat – which is sometimes necessary as I often get a bit overzealous with chilies.
This easy sauce takes all of five minutes to mix together and it’s surprisingly delicious. Plan ahead and let it sit for about an hour in the fridge and you’ll find that it tastes all the better, but it’s still great if you use it right away.
How to Make Cardamom-Spiced Yoghurt
You only need one bowl for this simple recipe, so it’s one fewer dish that you have to clean! So to begin, add some plain Greek yoghurt to a medium mixing bowl.
To the yoghurt, add a squeeze of lemon juice – this just adds to the brightness of this sauce. Then, grate in a couple of cloves of garlic.
The garlic flavour will be very pungent initially, but it melds with the yoghurt as it sits, which is another reason that I do recommend letting the sauce rest for a bit after mixing.
If you’re sensitive to raw garlic, then only add in one clove. The same goes if your garlic cloves are particularly large.
Now it’s time to add in your spices. The dominant one is going to be ground cardamom, but I also like to add a bit of ground coriander seed, some turmeric and a touch of cayenne pepper.
Experiment with complementary spices here – it doesn’t have to be this specific blend! For instance, a bit of ground cumin would be great here.
Add a generous pinch of salt to the yoghurt and season with some black pepper. Then, stir everything together until it’s all homogenous and well combined.
Now, all you need to do is transfer it to an airtight container and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. It also will last for several days in the fridge!
Yoghurt Cardamom Sauce
Ingredients
- 150 g (¾ cup) plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground coriander seed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This sauce is great for spicy foods with South Asian flavours, however, it’s also fantastic as a dip for fresh veggies.
Are you looking to make an easy yoghurt sauce? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
