Why it works: Orange and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 20% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Laotian Oranges in Syrup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the oranges
Peel and segment the oranges, ensuring that no pits, pith or skin remain.
Put the segments in a glass dish and set aside.
Make the syrup
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water gently to the boil, stirring occasionally.
Boil for 15 minutes until it is the consistency of a thin syrup.
Add the rosewater and stir to blend.
Assemble and chill
Pour the syrup over the orange segments and chill until required.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
-
Orange + sugartop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together19,212 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Orange and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sugar
- Dissolves into the water and thickens into a syrup that sweetens the oranges.
- Oranges
- Provide the main fruit flavour and juicy body of the dish.
- Water
- Dissolves the sugar and, with boiling, forms the base of the syrup.
The step that matters
Boiling the syrup to a thin consistency. Boiling evaporates water and concentrates the sugar, so the syrup thickens. Boiling too briefly leaves it watery, while boiling too long makes it thick and sticky once chilled.
“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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