Why it works: Pepper and tomato are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 17,923 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Swarma
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the meat
Slice meat on a bias very thin, then slice the meat into julienne strips.
Mix together all the dry spices and sprinkle on top of the meat.
Add the oil and stir.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Cook the meat
Heat a frying pan or wok.
When hot, add a little oil and heat.
When hot, add some of the meat to form a single layer, so it is not crowded in the pan.
Continue to fry on the hottest heat possible, and turn the meat over so it cooks quite quickly. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Remove the meat and place on a dish.
Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
Finish and serve
Add the onions and tomatoes to the pan and cook for 1/2 minute.
Add the already cooked meat to the pan and mix completely.
Serve on bread with some tahini.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Sumac | 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.
-
Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Pepper + oniontop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Sumac + peppertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together60 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Sumac + oniontop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together69 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Filet mignon
- Provides the tender meat that is cooked quickly over very high heat.
- Oil
- Carries the spices over the meat and helps it brown in the hot pan.
- Tomatoes
- Add moisture and a fresh acidity that brightens the cooked meat.
- Onion
- Adds sweetness and aroma as it softens briefly in the hot pan.
The step that matters
Cooking the meat in a single layer on very high heat. Crowding the pan drops its temperature, so the meat steams and turns grey instead of browning. Cooking in a single layer over the hottest heat keeps the surface seared and the strips tender.
Swap the sumac
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, tomato, onion):
- Garlicfits better
- Cuminfits better
- Thymefits better
- Sumacthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, tomato, onion. 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.
You might also like
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Cream of Tomato Soup107 recipes
Tomato Bisque61 recipes
Cream Tomato Soup28 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.