Why it works: Onion and rice are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,433 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Pease Porridge Hot
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the bacon
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan until crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pan and drain it on absorbent paper towels.
Pat the bacon to remove all the grease, then crumb the bacon.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
Discard the remaining grease.
Make the porridge
Cook and stir the onions in the reserved drippings until tender and lightly browned.
Add the soup and gradually mix in the water, blending well.
Bring to a full boil.
Add the rice, salt, and bacon.
Stir to blend.
Cover the pot.
Remove from the heat.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 7 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Pea | 1/2 cup (72g) | 62 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bacon | 1 slice cooked (8g) | 43 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Soup | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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.
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Onion + ricetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,433 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
- Green pea soup
- Forms the thick, smooth base that gives the porridge its body and pea flavour.
- Minute rice
- Absorbs the liquid as it stands, thickening the porridge and giving it a soft texture.
- Bacon
- Adds smoky, savoury fat and crisp crumbled pieces throughout the dish.
- Onions
- Softened and browned in bacon drippings, adding sweetness and savoury depth.
- Water
- Thins the condensed soup so it can be brought to a boil and cook the rice.
The step that matters
Gradually mixing the water into the soup. Adding the water slowly while blending keeps the condensed soup smooth and free of lumps, so the base heats evenly before the rice goes in.
“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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