Name: Eggplant and Rice Fritters
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups cooked rice; 2 cups mashed cooked eggplant (about 1 pound, uncooked); 2 teaspoons grated onion; 2 eggs, slightly beaten; 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; Dash hot pepper sauce; Vegetable oil; Chinese Sauce:; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; ground black pepper to taste

Why it works: Eggplant and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,123 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓

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.

Eggplant + peppertop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,123 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Eggplant + flourtop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together371 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Eggplant + oniontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together870 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Rice + oniontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together10,433 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Rice + eggplanttop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together111 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

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

What each ingredient does

Cooked rice: Forms the bulk of the fritter and gives a soft, tender interior.
Eggplant: Adds moisture and soft body to the batter.
Eggs: Bind the mixture so the fritters hold together in the skillet.
Cheddar cheese: Melts into the batter, adding richness and savory flavor.
Flour: Absorbs moisture and helps the fritters set and hold their shape.

The step that matters

Cook several fritters at a time until golden brown on both sides, turning once. The batter is soft and loose, so it needs enough oil at medium heat to brown and set before turning. Turning too early can make fritters break apart, while a crowded pan lowers the oil temperature and leaves them greasy rather than crisp.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, eggplant, egg, cheddar cheese, flour, pepper, sauce):

Capsicumfits better
Spinachfits better
Welsh onionfits better
Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against rice, eggplant, egg, cheddar cheese, flour, pepper, 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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Chicken	100g cooked	165
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Eggplant	1 cup cubed (82g)	35
Soy Sauce	1 tbsp (15ml)	9
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Sauce	not in our table	0

Eggplant and Rice Fritters