Why it works: Pepper and parsley match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Singapore Potato Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Chop spring onion stems and discard onion bulbs; wash and chop parsley and mint.
Dilute mayonnaise with milk and mix well.
In a large saucepan, heat water.
Boil potatoes.
Remove from flame and let it cool.
Peel the skin and slice.
Dress and serve
Transfer into a serving bowl while still warm.
Add salt, pepper and chopped spring onions. Mix well.
Add thinned mayonnaise and mix ensuring that each slice is coated with mayonnaise. Be careful not to break the potato slices.
Add half the mint and parsley and toss gently.
Garnish with the remaining half.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Peppermint | 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.
-
Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + parsleytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,855 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Mint + parsleytop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,198 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Onion + parsleytop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,843 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Potatoes
- Form the bulk of the salad, with slices that hold their shape when tossed gently.
- Mayonnaise
- Provides fat and creaminess that coats the potato slices and carries the seasoning.
- Milk
- Thins the mayonnaise so it spreads evenly and coats each slice without clumping.
- Spring onions
- Adds a mild, sharp onion aroma that lifts the flavour of the potatoes.
The step that matters
Dress the potatoes while still warm. Warm potato starch absorbs seasoning and dressing more readily than cold potato, so the flavour penetrates the slices. Handling gently keeps the slices intact.
Swap the mint
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, onion, milk, pepper, parsley):
- Thymefits better
- Garlicfits better
- Dillfits better
- Mintthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, onion, milk, pepper, parsley. 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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