Why it works: Tomato and onion are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 20,633 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Chili Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Gather 22 large ripe tomatoes, 4 ripe or 3 green peppers, 2 onions, 2 tablespoons salt, 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and 3 cups vinegar.
Peel the tomatoes and onions.
Chop the tomatoes and onions very finely.
Cook
Chop the peppers and add them with the other ingredients, then boil for four hours.
If desired, use four quarts of canned tomatoes instead of the ripe ones.
Just before the sauce is done, taste it to see if it is sweet enough.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| 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.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
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.
-
Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Sugar + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together30,779 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Cinnamon + tomatotop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,348 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Vinegar + oniontop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,226 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
-
Sugar + vinegartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar and cinnamon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tomatoes
- Form the bulk of the sauce and provide its body and liquid as they cook down.
- Vinegar
- Adds sharp acidity that gives the sauce its tang.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness that balances the acidity of the vinegar and tomatoes.
- Onions
- Add savory depth and aroma to the sauce.
- Peppers (in the method)
- Add pepper flavor and some bulk to the sauce.
- Cinnamon
- Adds warm aroma that rounds out the sweet and sour flavors.
The step that matters
Tasting for sweetness before the sauce is done. Long simmering evaporates water and concentrates the sugar and acid, so the balance shifts. Tasting near the end lets the cook adjust sweetness before the sauce is finished.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, cinnamon, vinegar, tomato):
- Capsicumfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, cinnamon, vinegar, tomato. 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.
More chili sauce recipes
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.