Why it works: Olive and tomato match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and 14,164 recipes mention both. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Directions
Make the base
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add cardamom, cumin, and cayenne; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in onion, garlic, and salt; reduce the heat to medium and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and their juices, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Blend and chill
Cool briefly and then stir in yogurt and lime juice.
Transfer half of the tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth; pour into a large bowl.
Repeat with remaining tomato mixture; pour into the bowl.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Serve chilled.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
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 aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
-
Olive + tomatotop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together14,164 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Cumin + limetop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together1,216 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together29,030 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Cardamom + limetop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together190 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Cardamom + cumintop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together582 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
- Tomatoes
- Provide the main body, acidity and flavor of the soup.
- Yogurt
- Adds creaminess and a tangy richness to the chilled soup.
- Onion
- Softens during cooking to add sweetness and savory depth.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Carries the spices and adds fat that rounds out the flavor.
- Lime juice
- Brightens the soup with acidity that balances the yogurt.
The step that matters
Cool briefly before adding the yogurt. Yogurt can curdle or separate when added to very hot liquid, so letting the tomato mixture cool slightly before stirring it in keeps the soup smooth and creamy.
Flavor stand-ins for the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, cardamom, cumin, garlic, tomato, yogurt, lime):
- Capsicumbetter flavor fit
- Potatobetter flavor fit
- Carrotbetter flavor fit
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, cardamom, cumin, garlic, tomato, yogurt, lime. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes. This compares flavor only: it does not check the job the ingredient does in the dish (bulk, moisture, acidity, structure).
“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.
You might also like
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
IllustrationThe Sunday pairing: one pairing, the chemistry behind it, and how to cook it. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account for sign-in; Pro adds the full results and chemistry.