Name: Spiced Tofu and Lentils with Turmeric Rice
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 package (400 g/14 oz) extra firm tofu; 10 mL (2 tsp) dried oregano; 2 mL (½ tsp) dried thyme; 10 mL (2 tsp) garlic powder; 10 mL (2 tsp) onion powder; 2 mL (½ tsp) black pepper; 4 mL (¾ tsp) salt; 1 mL (¼ tsp) cumin; 1 mL (¼ tsp) paprika; 30 mL (2 tbsp) vegetable oil; 1 can (540 mL/19 oz) lentils, drained and rinsed; 500 mL (2 cups) water; 2 mL (½ tsp) turmeric powder; 375 mL (1 ½ cups) uncooked brown rice; 1 clove garlic, minced; 125 mL (½ cup) lower fat yogurt; ½ mL (⅛ tsp) onion powder; Pinch of cumin; 2 tomatoes, sliced; ½ large cucumber, sliced

Why it works: Oregano and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 983 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

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.

Oregano + cumintop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together983 recipes

Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Cumin + lentilstop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together308 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Oregano + thymetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together791 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,082 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

Extra firm tofu: Provides the main protein and, once baked, a firm, chewy texture.
Lentils: Add body and bite, and crisp slightly in the oven.
Brown rice: Absorbs the turmeric-infused water to form a tender, fluffy base.
Vegetable oil: Carries the spices and helps the tofu and lentils brown in the oven.
Yogurt: Adds creamy moisture and tang to the sauce that balances the spices.

The step that matters

Cook the rice until the water is absorbed. Brown rice needs enough water and a covered, gentle simmer to cook through evenly. Lifting the lid or stopping early leaves it firm, while too much heat can scorch the bottom of the pot.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tofu, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, cumin, lentils):

Spinachfits better
Kalefits better
Eggplantfits better
Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tofu, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, cumin, lentils. 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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Lentil	1/2 cup cooked (99g)	115
Yogurt	170g plain Greek	100
Tofu	100g firm	76
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Tomato	1 medium (123g)	22
Cucumber	1/2 cup sliced (52g)	16
Turmeric	1 tsp ground (3g)	9
Cumin	1 tsp ground (2.1g)	8
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Oregano	1 tsp dried (1.8g)	5
Thyme	1 tsp dried (1.4g)	4
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Water	not in our table	0

Spiced Tofu and Lentils with Turmeric Rice