Why it works: Lime and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,216 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Beef in Cumin Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the meat
In a large pot, bring the meat to a boil in an inch of water. Cover and reduce heat.
While the meat is cooking, make a sauce by combining all the remaining ingredients in a separate pot. Bring to a slow boil. Turn off heat.
Finish and serve
Add the sauce to the meat. Simmer until meat is done, and then simmer some more.
Serve with Baton de Manioc / Chikwangue or Fufu.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 12 of 13 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Peppermint | 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.
-
Lime + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,216 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lime + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Tomato + cumintop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,272 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Stew meat
- Provides the main protein, which becomes tender through long simmering in the sauce.
- Tomato paste
- Concentrates tomato flavour and thickens the sauce, adding body and colour.
- Onions
- Break down during cooking to add sweetness and body to the sauce.
- Tomatoes
- Add acidity, moisture and fresh tomato flavour to the sauce.
- Cumin
- Supplies the warm, earthy aroma that defines the sauce.
The step that matters
Add the sauce to the meat and simmer until done. Stew meat is tough until its connective tissue breaks down with long, gentle simmering. Stopping early leaves it chewy, so keep it at a low simmer until fork-tender.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (meat, garlic, onion, lime, pepper, tomato, cumin):
- Corianderfits better
- Oreganofits better
- Thymefits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against meat, garlic, onion, lime, pepper, tomato, cumin. 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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