Why it works: Onion and garlic match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 29,058 recipes. Both carry furaneol, which smells caramel, strawberry. The science ↓
Turkey Stir-fry
Serves 4Ingredients
Directions
Cook the turkey
Heat 15 mL (1 tbsp) oil over medium heat.
Add turkey and cumin and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring to break up the meat as it browns.
Use a digital food thermometer to check that the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 74 °C (165 °F).
Set turkey aside in a plate.
Add vegetables and sauce
Add remaining oil, carrot and onion.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add cayenne, cabbage and garlic and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add soy sauce, ketchup, green beans, and corn and return cooked turkey to the pan. Stir well.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 14 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Cayenne | 1 tsp (1.8g) | 6 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Cumin + carrottop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together777 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Cumin + garlictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,082 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Cumin + clovetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,306 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
-
Carrot + clovetop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,873 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground turkey
- Provides the main protein and browns to add savory flavor.
- Onion
- Softens and turns sweet as it cooks, building the base flavor.
- Cabbage
- Wilts as it cooks, adding bulk and a mild sweetness.
- Soy sauce
- Adds salty, savory depth that seasons the whole stir-fry.
- Garlic
- Adds aroma and pungency that mellows as it cooks.
The step that matters
Check the turkey's internal temperature. Ground turkey can look browned before it is fully cooked. Confirming 74 °C (165 °F) with a thermometer ensures it is safe, since color alone is not a reliable guide.
Swap the cabbage
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (canola oil, turkey, cumin, carrot, onion, clove, garlic):
- Spinachfits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Shallotfits better
- Cabbagethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against canola oil, turkey, cumin, carrot, onion, clove, garlic. 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
Green Corn Soup46 recipes
Green Peas229 recipes
Corn Fritters203 recipes
Green Pea Soup181 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.