Why it works: Leek and onion match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,326 recipes. Both carry ethyl butyrate, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Leek Pilaf
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly fry the onions in oil.
Add the washed rice and lightly fry it.
Add the cut, washed and blanched leeks, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, and water.
Set to boil; when the first bubble appears, cover the pot and bake until done.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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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Leek + oniontop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,326 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl butyrate (apple, fruity).
-
Rice + tomatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,065 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Leek + ricetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together161 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Leeks
- Provide the main vegetable body and mild, sweet flavor that defines the pilaf.
- Rice
- Absorbs the cooking liquid and sets the grainy, fluffy texture of the dish.
- Onions
- Build a sweet, savory aromatic base when lightly fried in oil.
- Tomato sauce
- Adds acidity and color to the cooking liquid.
- Oil
- Carries flavor from the onions and helps the rice toast lightly.
The step that matters
Covering the pot at the first bubble. Once the liquid reaches a boil, covering the pot traps steam so the rice cooks evenly in the remaining water. Lifting the lid lets steam escape and can leave the grains unevenly cooked or dry.
Swap the leek
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, rice, tomato, sauce, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Okrafits better
- Potatofits better
- Leekthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, rice, tomato, sauce, pepper. 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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