Why it works: Mint and peas are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,137 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-ol, which smells mushroom, earthy. The science ↓
Dovga
Serves 4Ingredients
Directions
Make the soup
Stir yogurt to remove lumps, then pour into a pot.
Add rice and egg, and thoroughly mix.
Set pot over low heat.
Mix continuously and slowly until it boils (otherwise the yogurt and eggs may curdle).
While the mixture is boiling, chop the greens.
Add the greens into the yogurt mixture, and boil again for about 5 minutes.
Stir in peas, if using.
Serve
Serve in plates or glasses, adding salt to taste.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 8 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Pea | 1/2 cup (72g) | 62 |
| Spinach | 1 cup raw (30g) | 7 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Coriander | 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.
-
Mint + peastop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,137 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Dill + coriandertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together183 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Coriander + minttop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together940 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Spinach + dilltop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together115 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).
-
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, tangy base of the soup.
- Rice
- Thickens the soup and gives it body as it cooks.
- Egg
- Adds richness and helps thicken the yogurt base when gently heated.
- Spinach
- Adds leafy texture and fresh, earthy flavor to the soup.
The step that matters
Heat slowly while mixing continuously. Yogurt and egg proteins can curdle if heated quickly or left unstirred. Slow heating with constant stirring keeps the mixture smooth as it comes to a boil.
Swap the peas
The recipe marks peas as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (yogurt, rice, egg, spinach, dill, coriander, mint):
- Chickpeafits better
- Beansfits about as well
- Lentilsfits about as well
- Peasthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against yogurt, rice, egg, spinach, dill, coriander, 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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