There is something magical about Mediterranean meals, so wonderfully flavorful and completely satisfying while leaving the eater refreshed and energized. I have a theory that it is impossible to leave a table after a Greek meal in a foul mood and low spirits. This I will be enthusiastically testing over and over again at every opportunity.
If you are privileged enough to have made it to Greece and its islands, you know the feeling and by taking a bite and closing your eyes, you are taken right back to the breezy, sun-soaked sea and sand. For those who have not, the imagination will play a perfect substitute until your time to experience the reality comes. Γεια μας!
Prep Time: 65 min | Cook Time: 10-15 min | Serves: 4 | Difficulty Level: ♦♦ – Beginner
Souvlaki
- 16 oz Tempeh
- 1 Lemon – juice
- 8 Bay Leaves
- 3 tsp Za’atar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Fennel Seed
Yachni
- 4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 large Tomatoes – on the vine
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives
- 4 oz Vegan Feta Cheese – crumbled
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Mint – fresh
- 1½ tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Italian Parsley – fresh
- 2 tsp Capers
- 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar
- Salt – to taste
Tzatziki
- 2 cups Greek Yogurt – plant-based
- 1 Cucumber – fresh
- 2 tsp Mint – fresh
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Garlic Granules
For the Yachni (potato salad)
Cut the potatoes in half and boil in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a fork can poke holes in the potatoes without shredding it into pieces. Drain and rinse under cold water in order to arrest the cooking process. Transfer in a large salad bowl and refrigerate until time to season.
Cube the tomatoes into medium chunks, about 3”. If your feta cheese is in block form, crumble it.
Pull the potatoes out of the fridge and gently mix in the tomato paste, oil, vinegar, salt, and the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a large spoon until well incorporated and coated throughout.
Chill until time to eat.
On to the Tzatziki
Dice the peeled cucumber and drain the excess water. For best results, place the diced cucumber in a strainer and, with the aid of a spoon, press down to drain the liquid. Put the drained cucumber in a medium bowl, and add the yogurt, salt, herbs, and garlic granules. Give it a good mix and refrigerate until ready to serve.
And the Souvlaki
Make a marinade with the freshly-squeezed lemon juice, salt, za’atar seasoning, bay leaves, and fennel seed. Slice the tempeh into ½ thick strips and place them to marinate in a shallow dish. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to let the juices work their magic on the otherwise not too tasty tempeh.
Heat up a griddle, or even better a grill, and cook the tempeh, brushing with the marinade as needed, for 10 minutes.
Serve the tempeh souvlaki hot with cold sides of tzatziki and yachni.
Extras and Tips
Rinsing the potatoes in cold water after boiling will make the potatoes firm but cooked through, while also preventing them from turning into a sloppy, lumpy mess.
We tried to make tzatziki with a variety of yogurts, and in spite of the many tries, we were unsatisfied with most results using a non-dairy yogurt alternative. We used coconut and the acidity wasn’t quite there, cashew and the texture was off, but finally an almond and soy combination resulted in the right creaminess and bite. Nevertheless, the tzatziki just wasn’t what we had grown accustomed to eating in Greece.
Given that this last attempt was fairly close, I designed a taste experiment that entailed the consumption of two tzatziki on the same day, with identical ingredients and ratios. The only difference between the two sets was that the first had shredded and squeezed cucumber, whereas the other diced and pressed cucumber.
Without a trace of doubt in our minds, the diced and pressed cuke rendered the closest resemblance, taste, and texture of the kinds we had consumed in Greece without any hint of refrain (with the exception that those weren’t dairy free – we are not strictly vegan, as you may have realized by now, especially when we travel and savor global specialities).
We conquered the best tzatziki hurdle, at last, and will never go back to the old shredded cucumber days.
