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Country Captain Stew

A hearty stew of tofu, apples, bell pepper, potatoes, and curry simmered with tomatoes and spices.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 14 ingredients
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Why it works: Pepper and parsley match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓

Country Captain Stew

Oven350°F
Timeabout 20 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the tofu

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Lightly oil a nonstick baking sheet.

  3. Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; blot between clean tea towels or paper towels.

  4. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

  5. Bake 15 minutes. Stir carefully.

  6. Continue to bake until tofu is golden on most sides, stirring every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes.

Make the stew

  1. In a very large, deep saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

  2. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

  3. Add potatoes, apples, bell pepper, tomatoes (with liquid), curry powder, ginger and 2 cups water.

  4. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.

  5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

  6. Stir in baked tofu, raisins, cilantro and salt.

  7. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until flavors have blended, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve

  1. Serve hot, topped with yogurt if desired.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1191Calories
48 gProtein
22 gFat
206 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 17 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Potato1 medium (173g) baked161
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Yogurt170g plain Greek100
Apple1 medium (182g)95
Tofu100g firm76
Grape1/2 cup (76g)62
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Bell Pepper1 medium (119g)31
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Turmeric1 tsp ground (3g)9
Soy Sauce1 tbsp (15ml)9
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Ginger1 tsp grated fresh (2g)2
Cilantro1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g)1
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

  1. Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together34,122 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  2. Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together17,923 recipes

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

  3. Ginger + tofutop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together284 recipes

    Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

  4. Tomato + parsleytop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together5,398 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  5. Pepper + gingertop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together6,800 recipes

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

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

What each ingredient does

Firm tofu
Provides protein and a firm body that holds its shape in the stew after baking.
Potatoes
Starch that thickens the stew slightly and gives it a hearty, tender texture.
Onions
Sweetness and savory depth as they turn golden when cooked slowly in oil.
Diced tomatoes
Liquid and acidity that build the sauce and balance the sweet fruit and spices.
Apples
Mild sweetness and soft texture that softens into the sauce during simmering.
Raisins
Concentrated sweetness and chewy bursts that contrast with the spiced sauce.

The step that matters

Baking the tofu until golden. Baking dries the surface and browns it, so the cubes keep their shape and do not turn mushy in the simmering stew. Blotting first removes surface water that would otherwise steam the tofu instead of browning it.

Swap the raisin

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, tomato, ginger, parsley, yogurt, apple, tofu):

  1. Limefits better
  2. Mangofits better
  3. Lemonfits better
  4. Raisinthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, tomato, ginger, parsley, yogurt, apple, tofu. 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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