Why it works: Coriander and cumin 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 ↓
Fish Dumplings in Coconut Achiote Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dumplings
Roughly chop the fillets and add them to a mixing bowl.
Chop the old bread and add it to the fish.
Drop in the eggs and spices and mix with your hands until all ingredients are well combined.
Form into large egg-sized balls and fry in enough oil so that it covers the surface of the pan.
Make the soup
Mix all the liquids together and heat.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 13 of 15 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 13 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Coconut | 1/2 cup shredded (40g) | 283 |
| Salmon | 100g cooked | 208 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp grated fresh (2g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Soup | 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.
-
Coriander + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,038 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Ginger + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,505 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Ginger + cumintop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,733 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- White fish
- Forms the main body of the dumplings, cooking to a tender, flaky texture.
- Dry bread
- Absorbs moisture from the fish and helps the dumplings hold together.
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture so the dumplings set firm when fried.
- Coconut milk
- Adds fat and richness that give the soup a creamy body.
- Achiote paste
- Gives the soup its orange-red colour and earthy flavour.
The step that matters
Frying the dumplings in enough oil. Enough oil covering the pan surface lets the outside brown and set evenly, while the fish inside cooks through. Too little oil makes the dumplings stick and cook unevenly.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (bread, fish, egg, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin):
- Turmericfits better
- Cardamomfits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against bread, fish, egg, garlic, ginger, coriander, 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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