Why it works: Mushroom and garlic are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,700 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓
Chinese Ham Stew
Ingredients
Directions
Place garlic and mushrooms in water and soak.
Add the pork, mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce to a pot.
Cook on low heat for approximately 1.5 to 1.75 hours.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 7 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Wood | not in our table | 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.
-
Mushroom + garlictop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,700 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Pork + mushroomtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-propylphenol (allspice, anise).
-
Clove + garlictop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,368 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Mushroom + clovetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,663 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Pork + garlictop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,169 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (roasted, nutty).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pork leg
- Provides the meat that becomes tender during long, slow cooking.
- Dried wood ear mushrooms
- Soaking softens them, adding a chewy texture to the stew.
- Soy sauce
- Adds salty, savory flavor and helps color the stew.
- Garlic
- Adds pungent aroma that mellows and sweetens during cooking.
The step that matters
Cook on low heat for approximately 1.5 to 1.75 hours. Low, slow heat lets the tough connective tissue in pork leg break down gradually, making the meat tender without drying it out. Rushing with high heat can toughen the meat and scorch the soy sauce.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pork, mushroom, sauce, garlic):
- Thymefits better
- Marjoramfits better
- Oreganofits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against pork, mushroom, sauce, garlic. 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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