Persian Cucumbers with Sumac and White Sauce

SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER OR SNACK

Ordering a gyro from a street cart was something I never did until I moved to New York City. Now it is a regular habit in my life. I’ve never been able to find a recipe for that white sauce so once upon a time I attempted to approximate my own. Cucumbers are my crunchy snack and even though it is a healthy one, this sauce makes it feel hedonistic.

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2 garlic cloves

4 egg yolks

Pinch of salt

Pinch of MSG

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons white soy sauce

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon black pepper, cracked

⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground caraway seeds

1½ cups vegetable oil

8 Persian cucumbers

Coarse salt, to taste

Sumac powder, to taste

Blend the garlic and egg yolks in a food processor. Add the salt, MSG, lemon juice, white soy sauce, water, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and ground caraway. Blend. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil to emulsify. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

To serve, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and arrange on a plate cut side up. Season with a sprinkling of salt and sumac. Serve with a container of white sauce on the side to dip.