Why it works: Cucumber and dill match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 530 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Cacik
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Chop cucumber into small cubes.
In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, water, dill, mint, olive oil, and salt.
Stir until mixture has the consistency of a thick soup.
Add cucumbers and mix.
Chill and serve
Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator.
Serve very cold in small individual bowls.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Mint | 2 tbsp fresh (3g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Peppermint | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cucumber + dilltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together530 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Garlic + olivetop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Cucumber + garlictop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,556 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Cucumber + minttop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together884 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Dill + minttop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together177 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Yogurt
- Forms the creamy base and gives the sauce its tangy flavour.
- Cucumber
- Adds moisture and a cool, crisp texture to the sauce.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat for a smooth, rich mouthfeel.
- Garlic
- Adds sharp aromatic flavour that mellows during chilling.
- Dill
- Adds a fresh, herbal aroma.
- Mint
- Adds a bright, fresh aroma that complements the yogurt.
The step that matters
Stir until thick soup consistency. Yogurt varies in thickness, and stirring in the water until the mixture loosens to a soup-like texture gives an even, pourable sauce. Mixing in the cucumber afterward keeps the sauce from becoming watery.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cucumber, garlic, yogurt, olive, dill, mint):
- Corianderfits better
- Cuminfits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cucumber, garlic, yogurt, olive, dill, mint. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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