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Pae Pya Khao

A stir‑fry of tofu, rutabaga, onion, tomato, and chili in a soy sauce and cumin sauce.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 10 ingredients
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Why it works: Corn and tomato match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,099 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓

Pae Pya Khao

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the tofu

  1. Cut the tofu into rectangles 1-inch wide and 2 inches long.

  2. Place the tofu on absorbent paper towels to remove excess water.

  3. Heat 3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil in a skillet.

  4. Fry the tofu over moderate heat until it turns light brown on both sides.

  5. Set the tofu aside.

Make the sauce base

  1. Remove half of the oil from the skillet.

  2. Stir and brown the sliced onion in the remaining oil for 2 minutes over moderate heat.

  3. Add tomato, green chili, soy sauce, cumin seed, and salt.

  4. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

  5. Add 1/4 cup water, cover the skillet, and let cook for 5 minutes.

Combine and finish

  1. Add the tofu back to the skillet and stir.

  2. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

355Calories
14 gProtein
20 gFat
36 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 11 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Peanut Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Corn1/2 cup kernels (82g)77
Tofu100g firm76
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Soy Sauce1 tbsp (15ml)9
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Cakenot in our table0
Rutabaganot in our table0
Waternot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

  1. Corn + tomatotop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,099 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

  2. Onion + tomatotop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together20,633 recipes

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

  3. Tofu + oniontop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together729 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

  4. Tofu + tomatotop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together223 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

  5. Tofu + corntop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together69 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

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

What each ingredient does

Tofu cake
Provides the main protein; frying first gives browned, firmer pieces that hold their shape.
Rutabaga
Adds a mild, starchy vegetable body that softens during covered cooking.
Onion
Browning builds sweetness and savory depth as its sugars caramelize in the oil.
Tomato
Adds acidity and moisture that combine with the other ingredients into a light sauce.
Soy sauce
Contributes salty, savory flavor and deepens the color of the dish.

The step that matters

Frying the tofu until light brown on both sides. Patting the tofu dry and frying it in hot oil gives a browned surface that resists breaking apart when stirred later. Wet tofu steams instead of browning and can crumble.

Swap the rutabaga

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tofu, corn, onion, tomato, sauce):

  1. Capsicumfits better
  2. Potatofits better
  3. Chivefits better
  4. Rutabagathe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tofu, corn, onion, tomato, sauce. 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.

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