Peruvian Vegetable Stew

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.

1. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Pepper + limetop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together3,491 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

3. Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together25,665 recipes

   Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

4. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Corn + limetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together773 recipes

   Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Butternut squash

Forms the bulk of the stew and softens into a tender, sweet body as it simmers.

Onions

Sweeten as they saute and build a flavour base for the stew.

Tomatoes

Add acidity and moisture that help form the stew's sauce.

Corn

Adds sweetness and texture, and is also used as a garnish.

Garlic

Adds aroma and pungency that mellow during cooking.

Olive oil

Carries flavour and conducts heat for sauteing the onions and garlic.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, pepper, corn, lime, olive, onion, garlic):

1. Cuminfits better
2. Corianderfits better
3. Thymefits better
4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against butter, pepper, corn, lime, olive, onion, garlic. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.