Why it works: Coriander and saffron match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 381 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Harira
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash and rinse the lentils, then soak them in plenty of water for 30 minutes.
Strain the lentils.
Cook
Pour 1.2 litre (2 pints) boiling water into a large saucepan and place on medium heat.
Add the lentils, onions and lamb.
Boil for 25 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add the chopped tomatoes, green chilli and spices to the pan.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the coriander, saffron, salt and pepper, and mix.
Cover and simmer on very low heat for a further 5 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 8 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb | 100g cooked | 294 |
| Lentil | 1/2 cup cooked (99g) | 115 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Saffron | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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 + saffrontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together381 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Tomato + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,967 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Tomato + saffrontop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together369 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Lentils + saffrontop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together25 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Lentils + coriandertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together273 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Red lentils
- Break down during simmering to thicken the soup and give it body.
- Lamb
- Adds savoury meaty flavour and richness as it simmers slowly in the broth.
- Chopped tomatoes
- Provide acidity and sweetness that balance the spices and deepen the colour.
- Onion
- Softens during long simmering, adding sweetness and aromatic depth to the base.
- Saffron
- Adds aroma and a golden colour to the soup.
The step that matters
Boil for 25 minutes, stirring from time to time. Boiling the lentils, onion and lamb together for this long lets the lentils soften and break down and the lamb become tender. Stirring prevents the lentils from sticking and scorching on the base of the pan.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (lentils, lamb, tomato, coriander, saffron):
- Spinachfits better
- Eggplantfits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against lentils, lamb, tomato, coriander, saffron. 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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