Why it works: Lime and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,216 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Cuban Pork Chops
Ingredients
Directions
Brown lightly salted pork chops in oil at medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes.
Turn chops, adding garlic, lime juice and water to the skillet.
Cook uncovered, turning once or twice, till done and syrupy juices remain (6-8 min).
Spoon sauce over chops, sprinkle with cumin and fresh pepper.
Serve with rice, and vegetable of your choice.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | 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.
-
Lime + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,216 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lime + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + olivetop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Clove + cumintop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,306 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pork chops
- The main protein, which browns on the surface and cooks through in the pan.
- Garlic
- Adds aromatic pungency that mellows and sweetens as it cooks in the pan juices.
- Lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the sauce and balances the richness of the pork.
- Olive oil
- Conducts heat for even browning and carries flavour across the chop surfaces.
- Ground cumin
- Adds warm, earthy aroma to the finished sauce and chops.
The step that matters
Cook uncovered until the juices turn syrupy. Cooking uncovered lets water evaporate so the lime and pan juices reduce and concentrate into a sauce. Covering would trap steam, leaving the sauce thin and the chops less browned.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (garlic, pork, olive, lime, cumin, pepper):
- Corianderfits better
- Oreganofits better
- Thymefits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against garlic, pork, olive, lime, cumin, pepper. 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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