Why it works: Tomato and coriander are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,967 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓
Rice Corn Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Make the salad
Combine salad ingredients. (If using frozen corn, thaw under running water.)
Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl and pour over salad. Mix well.
Chill and serve
For best flavor, cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 12 of 16 ingredients. The other 4 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salad | not in our table | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
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.
-
Tomato + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,967 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Rice + corntop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together933 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Pepper + coriandertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,949 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Corn + tomatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,099 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Rice + tomatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,065 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Brown rice
- Forms the bulk of the salad and absorbs the dressing, giving a firm, chewy base.
- Corn kernels
- Adds sweetness and a juicy, tender bite that contrasts with the rice.
- Tomato
- Contributes moisture and gentle acidity that lightly flavors the salad.
- Wine vinegar
- Provides acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the sweetness of the corn.
- Soy sauce
- Adds savory depth and saltiness to the dressing.
The step that matters
Chilling the salad. Resting for at least two hours lets the dressing soak into the rice and vegetables, so the flavors blend and the salad tastes evenly seasoned rather than sharp on top and bland underneath.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, corn, tomato, pepper, coriander, wine, vinegar):
- Capsicumfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Carrotfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against rice, corn, tomato, pepper, coriander, wine, vinegar. 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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