Why it works: Beef and asparagus match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and 236 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
The recipe
4 servingsIngredients
Contains: wheat, soy (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Directions
Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.
Cut the sirloin across the grain into thin strips about 1/4 inch thick. Pat the strips dry with a paper towel.
In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with no added fat. Add the beef in a single layer and cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until browned and it reaches 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part.
Move the beef to a plate and let it rest 3 minutes.
Add the asparagus and sliced portobello mushrooms to the skillet and stir-fry 4 minutes until tender-crisp. Add a splash of water if they stick.
Add the roasted red pepper strips and cook 1 minute.
Stir the sauce mixture again, pour it into the skillet and stir 1 to 2 minutes until thickened and bubbling.
Return the beef and any juices to the skillet and toss 1 minute to heat through. Serve over the hot cooked rice.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Beef + asparagustop 6% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together236 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
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Beef + mushroomtop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together3,231 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
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Asparagus + ricetop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together244 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
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Asparagus + mushroomtop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together400 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
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Beef + peppertop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together18,971 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
Flavor stand-ins for the garlic
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, sauce, sugar, asparagus, mushroom, pepper, rice):
- Celerybetter flavor fit
- Gingerabout as good a flavor fit
- Tarragonabout as good a flavor fit
- Garlicthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, sauce, sugar, asparagus, mushroom, pepper, rice. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes. This compares flavor only: it does not check the job the ingredient does in the dish (bulk, moisture, acidity, structure).
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