Why it works: Clove and cinnamon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,189 recipes. Both carry ethyl cinnamate, which smells sweet, balsamic. The science ↓
Diabetic-friendly Ketchup
Ingredients
Directions
Make the ketchup
Combine all ingredients except the sweetener in a large saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the sweetener, then mix well.
Store
Refrigerate in a covered container.
Use within a week.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Cloves | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Celery Seed | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| 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.
-
Clove + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,189 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Celery + tomatotop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,377 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together17,451 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Celery + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together16,012 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Clove + celerytop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,668 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-decalactone (peach, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tomato paste
- Forms the thick body and main tomato flavor of the ketchup.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and helps preserve the sauce.
- Dried onion flakes
- Contribute savory onion flavor that rehydrates and softens as the sauce simmers.
- Artificial sweetener
- Provides the sweetness, since the recipe uses no sugar.
The step that matters
Adding the sweetener off the heat. Artificial sweeteners can lose sweetness or develop off flavors when heated for long periods, so adding them after simmering keeps the sweetness consistent and the flavor clean.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, clove, cinnamon, celery, tomato, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Carrotfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, clove, cinnamon, celery, tomato, pepper. 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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