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. Clove + allspicetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together7,874 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

3. Cinnamon + allspicetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,536 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. Pepper + allspicetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together6,395 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

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

What each ingredient does

Ripe tomatoes

Form the bulk of the sauce and supply moisture and body as they break down.

Onions

Add savory sweetness and body as they soften during the long boil.

Vinegar

Adds acidity that sharpens flavor and helps preserve the sauce.

Brown sugar

Adds sweetness that balances the acidity of the vinegar and tomatoes.

Swap the onion

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

1. Capsicumfits better
2. Mustardfits better
3. Carrotfits better
4. Onionthe original

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