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Southwestern Squash Saute

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Why it works: Cumin and lime 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 ↓

Southwestern Squash Saute

Ingredients

Directions

  1. 1. Set a large skillet over med-high heat.

  2. 2. When hot, add 2 T.oil and let it heat.

  3. 3. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes.

  4. 4. Add the diced red pepper and a little more salt and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.

  5. 5. Transfer the pepper and and onion mixture to a bowl or a plate.

  6. 6. Turn the heat to high, add one more T.oil and the squash.

  7. 7. Season with salt and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring only occasionally, so that it begins to brown lightly and the flesh turns slightly translucent and is tender (do not over cook).

  8. 8. Put the peppers and onions back in the pan, and the corn, garlic and chilies, season again with salt and sauté a few minutes more.

  9. 9. Season with a few grinds of pepper, and the cumin.

  10. 10. Toss in the cilantro, squeeze the lime overall, toss and serve.

  11. Category:Southwestern Recipes

  12. Category:Southwestern Vegetarian

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

321Calories
7 gProtein
16 gFat
44 gCarbs

Counts 11 of 12 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 11 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Corn1/2 cup kernels (82g)77
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Bell Pepper1 medium (119g)31
Cucumber1/2 cup sliced (52g)16
Limejuice of 1 lime (44ml)11
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8
Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Cilantro1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Pumpkinnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

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.

  1. Cumin + limetop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,216 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  2. Jalapeno + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together688 recipes

    Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

  3. Jalapeno + limetop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,035 recipes

    Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

  4. Pepper + limetop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,491 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  5. Corn + limetop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together773 recipes

    Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, pepper, corn, jalapeno, cumin, lime):

  1. Capsicumfits better
  2. Tomatofits better
  3. Spinachfits better
  4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against olive, pepper, corn, jalapeno, cumin, lime. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

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