Why it works: Radish and sesame share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and 49 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, which smells clove, smoky. The science ↓
The recipe
4-6 servingsIngredients
Contains: soy, sesame (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Directions
Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.
Rinse the preserved radish briefly in cold water to remove excess salt, then drain and squeeze dry.
Heat the cooking oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the ground chicken and break it up. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
Push the chicken to one side, add the garlic and preserved radish to the empty side, and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the trimmed green beans and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp, adding a splash of water if the pan gets dry.
Mix the chicken with the beans, add the soy sauce, and toss for 1 minute to combine.
Remove from heat, drizzle with the sesame oil, toss once more, and serve hot.
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.
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Radish + sesametop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together49 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).
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Chicken + garlictop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together10,839 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (roasted, nutty).
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Green beans + sesametop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together25 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, smoky).
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Chicken + sesametop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together939 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
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Garlic + sesametop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together1,999 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
Flavor stand-ins for the garlic
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (green beans, radish, chicken, sauce, sesame):
- Garlicthe original
- Gingerabout as good a flavor fit
Fit is the average pairing score against green beans, radish, chicken, sauce, sesame. 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).
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