Yogurt

Once the soup is processed, the addition of extra yogurt adds a creamy texture. The diced cucumber and radishes add a crunchy texture. If hothouse cucumbers are not available, substitute the firm garden variety and double the amount called for. Peel cucumbers and halve lengthwise, then seed.

Plain nonfat yogurt heightens the texture of this easy dip while adding a nice tang. To thicken the yogurt properly, it needs to be drained, so begin preparing the guacamole at least two hours ahead. Offer light beer and iced tea throughout dinner.

Skordalia is often made with mashed potatoes or bread soaked in water, but we feel the yogurt gives it more flavor. Skordalia is also good with grilled fish or chicken breasts.

The chicken is cooked with onions, lemon and dill, then spooned onto warm pita bread rounds and topped with a yogurt sauce. Then the sides of the bread are folded up and the sandwich is eaten like a taco.

In India, chicken is one of the most popular foods cooked in the tandoor, the ubiquitous clay oven. The secret to the bird's distinctive taste and tender texture is a yogurt marinade enhanced with spices. Here we pour one over chicken breasts, which are cooked on a grill. The chicken is served on toasted bread spread with a mayonnaise spiked with mint, cilantro and chili, flavors common in Indian relishes. Try to find Indian beer such as Taj Mahal or Kingfisher to go along with the meal. Offer fresh mangoes for dessert.

A little bit of feta cheese goes a long way in the tangy marinade for this dish.

This classic Indian salad, or raita, is perfect with any curry dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve the baked fish with rice and a salad of tomatoes, cucumber and green onions.

Tandoori chicken gets its name from the clay oven (heated by wood or coal) it is traditionally cooked in—a tandoor—which bakes meat, fish, poultry, and bread at temperatures upward of 500°F. In our version, the chicken is broiled and the signature yogurt and spice marinade contains only ingredients that are readily available on supermarket shelves.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. We created this sauce for fish, but it also makes a terrific accompaniment to lamb.

Serve with: Warmed flatbread. Dessert: Vanilla pudding with sliced mango.

Tandoori Murghi Of all the food cooked in a _tandoor,_the most popular and the best-tasting is chicken. The distinctive flavor, texture, and color of this dish are achieved by a particular yogurt marinade, by the use of tenderizers, a special tandoori coloring, and finally, by being cooked in the Indian clay oven. The recipe given here is designed for the conventional oven and charcoal grill. (Household-model tandoors are not yet commercially available in the United States.) The results are very much to my satisfaction.

A "skinny" version that features nonfat yogurt and light mayonnaise in the dressing. Lemon peel and celery seeds add zip. Try with grilled steak, chicken, or salmon.