Why it works: Cumin and coriander match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,866 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Browned Eggplant with Yogurt
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the eggplant
Wash eggplant, cut off stem and peel it into stripes.
Cut crosswise into two parts, then cut each part lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.
Soak eggplant pieces in warm salted water for about ½ hour.
Put a heavy plate on the pieces to keep them submerged.
Drain eggplant pieces.
Oven-fry and assemble
Brush pieces lightly with olive oil, and arrange them in a cookie sheet in one layer.
Broil them in the oven, turning once, for about 10 minutes.
Mix together yogurt, garlic, salt, cumin and coriander.
On a flat big platter, arrange eggplant pieces in a single layer (pieces may overlap a little).
Spoon yogurt mixture all over the eggplant.
Sprinkle with chili, and garnish with parsley and tomato.
Serve with warm bread.
Store leftovers
If the amount is more than you can consume in one sitting, refrigerate eggplant pieces and yogurt in two separate containers.
Combine and garnish just before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Eggplant | 1 cup cubed (82g) | 35 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Coriander | 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.
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Cumin + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Eggplant + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together801 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Eggplant + cumintop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together93 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggplant
- Forms the main body of the dish and soaks up the flavors of the yogurt sauce.
- Olive oil
- Helps the eggplant brown and crisp under the broiler while keeping it from drying out.
- Plain low-fat yogurt
- Provides a cool, tangy sauce that contrasts with the browned eggplant.
- Garlic
- Adds sharp aroma and pungency to the yogurt sauce.
The step that matters
Broiling the eggplant. Eggplant is spongy and absorbs oil quickly, so a light brush of oil and a single layer let the slices brown rather than steam. Turning once helps both sides color evenly, and watching closely prevents scorching under the high heat of the broiler.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (eggplant, olive, yogurt, garlic, cumin, coriander):
- Oreganofits better
- Turmericfits better
- Basilfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against eggplant, olive, yogurt, garlic, cumin, coriander. 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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