When you visit Egypt you’ll discover it’s one of those destinations with such unsafe water that eating fresh foods like salads, fruits, vegetables, and even street food courts danger. These are the times I gravitate to soup, even when weather hits the heights of 111 degrees. Soups in Egypt are spicy and served blazing hot. One’s initial thought of consuming liquid fire might be “crazy,” but I was a sweaty mess anyway, hungry at each meal, and the soups — lentil, bean, vegetables, tomato — quite good.

One evening in Cairo, my husband and I walked to a cafe called Paprika. There, my blistering bowl of tomato soup was so satisfying, I mentally deconstructed it to recreate back home. Three things stood out: pimiento, chili powder and paprika (the name of the restaurant helped with that one). Who knows if that’s what they actually used, but I was happy. This recipe replaces my standard now, it is just so much more interesting. The fresh squeezed lime is a must, by the way.