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 ↓
Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the shrimp
Season the shrimp with the salt, pepper and cumin.
Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium‑high heat.
Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked.
Chill and serve
Chill the shrimp for 20 minutes.
While the shrimp are cooling, combine the cocktail sauce, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno in a small serving bowl.
Arrange the shrimp around the cocktail sauce and serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Shrimp | 100g cooked | 99 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Cilantro | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Cocktail | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | 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.
-
Cumin + limetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,216 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Cumin + jalapenotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together688 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Lime + jalapenotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,035 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Pepper + limetop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Pepper + cumintop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,382 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Shrimp
- Provides the main protein, which turns firm and opaque as it cooks through.
- Cocktail sauce
- Adds sweetness, acidity and moisture that give the dish its main flavour.
- Jalapeno
- Adds heat and fresh aroma to the sauce.
- Lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the sauce and balances its sweetness.
The step that matters
Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked. Shrimp cook quickly, and overcooking makes the proteins contract and turn rubbery. Pull them as soon as they turn opaque and curl into a loose C shape.
Swap the jalapeno
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (shrimp, pepper, cumin, sauce, lime):
- Corianderfits better
- Turmericfits better
- Oreganofits better
- Jalapenothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against shrimp, pepper, cumin, sauce, lime. 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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