Chili Sauce

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. Clove + cinnamontop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together14,189 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).

2. Cinnamon + gingertop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,380 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

3. Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,038 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

4. Pepper + clovetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together17,451 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

5. Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together17,923 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

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

What each ingredient does

Tomatoes

Provide the main body and bulk of the sauce, along with moisture and natural acidity.

Onions

Add savory depth and sweetness that mellows during the long simmer.

Red peppers

Contribute sweet, fresh pepper flavor and some body to the sauce.

Vinegar

Provides sharp acidity that balances the sweetness and helps preserve the sauce.

Sugar

Adds sweetness that rounds out the vinegar's sharpness and the spices.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, pepper, vinegar, sugar, clove, cinnamon, ginger):

1. Capsicumfits better
2. Carrotfits better
3. Sweet potatofits better
4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, pepper, vinegar, sugar, clove, cinnamon, ginger. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.