Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Salata Khiyar
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
In a medium bowl, add the salt to the cucumber slices, mix well and set aside.
Place cucumber slices on absorbent paper to soak up excess water, and set aside for a couple of minutes.
Make the dressing
To make the dressing, in a large bowl place the chopped parsley, olive oil, vinegar, sugar and mint, then mix well together.
Combine
Add the cucumbers to the dressing and mix well.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Cucumber + minttop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together884 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Parsley + olivetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,649 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Cucumber + olivetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,611 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).
-
Parsley + minttop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,198 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cucumber
- Provides the crisp, watery bulk; salting first draws out excess moisture.
- Parsley
- Adds fresh, green aroma and flavor.
- Mint
- Adds a cool, bright aroma.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat that carries flavor and gives the dressing body.
- Vinegar
- Adds sharp acidity that brightens the salad.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness that balances the vinegar's sharpness.
The step that matters
Dry the salted cucumber before dressing. Salt draws water out of the cucumber slices. If they are not patted dry, that excess water thins the dressing and dilutes its flavor, and the salad turns watery.
Swap the mint
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (parsley, cucumber, olive, vinegar, sugar, pepper):
- Dillfits better
- Tarragonfits better
- Garlicfits better
- Mintthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against parsley, cucumber, olive, vinegar, sugar, pepper. 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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