Why it works: Cumin and garlic match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,082 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Tunisian Potato
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a pot with water to cover; add 1 teaspoon salt and the sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and shake in the dry pan for a few minutes, until thoroughly dry.
Season and serve
Cut the potatoes into thick slices, several per potato, or into quarters.
Place in a bowl and toss with the cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic and olives.
Dress with the olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve at room temperature.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 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.
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.
-
Cumin + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + olivetop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Pepper + lemontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Cumin + clovetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,306 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
-
Potato + garlictop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,517 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Potatoes
- Provide the starchy body of the salad, becoming tender when simmered.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Adds fat and richness, carrying the spices and coating the potatoes.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and balances the oil.
- Garlic
- Adds pungent aroma that mellows as the salad rests.
- Oil-cured black olives
- Contribute salty, savory flavor and a chewy texture.
The step that matters
Drying the potatoes after draining. Shaking the cooked potatoes in the dry pan evaporates surface water so the olive oil and lemon dressing cling instead of being diluted and sliding off.
Swap the potato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, cumin, pepper, garlic, clove, olive, lemon):
- Capsicumfits better
- Spinachfits better
- Eggplantfits better
- Potatothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, cumin, pepper, garlic, clove, olive, lemon. 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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