Pepper Steak with Rice

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. Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together29,058 recipes

   Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

2. Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

3. Beef + oniontop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,092 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

4. Garlic + peppertop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together27,090 recipes

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

5. Rice + oniontop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together10,433 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

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

What each ingredient does

Beef round steak

Provides the meat that becomes tender during long, covered simmering.

Cornstarch

Thickens the sauce as it heats, giving it a glossy, clear body.

Butter

Adds fat for browning the meat and a rich flavor to the pan.

Soy sauce

Adds salty, savory depth that seasons the sauce.

Beef broth

Provides the liquid for simmering, building the sauce's beefy flavor.

Paprika

Adds mild, sweet pepper flavor and color to the meat.

The step that matters

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, beef, butter, garlic, onion, pepper, sauce):

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

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