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Spicy Hush Puppies

A fried cornmeal and flour batter with cheese and green chilies, served hot.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 11 ingredients
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Why it works: Cheese and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 10% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,426 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓

Spicy Hush Puppies

Time3 to 4 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Make the batter

  1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl.

  2. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

  3. Add the egg and milk, then stir until moistened.

Fry and serve

  1. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a Dutch oven and heat to 375°.

  2. Carefully drop batter by rounded tablespoons into hot oil.

  3. Fry a few at a time 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.

  4. Drain on paper towels.

  5. Serve immediately.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1049Calories
39 gProtein
39 gFat
137 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 10 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Milk1 cup (244ml) whole149
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Cheese1 oz (28g) cheddar113
Egg1 large egg (50g)78
Corn1/2 cup kernels (82g)77
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Cayenne1 tsp (1.8g)6
Salt1 tsp (6g)0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

  1. Cheese + milktop 10% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together4,426 recipes

    Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).

  2. Corn + milktop 10% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together6,955 recipes

    Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).

  3. Corn + peppertop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together5,324 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

  4. Pepper + oniontop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together68,474 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  5. Corn + oniontop 13% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together4,205 recipes

    Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).

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

What each ingredient does

Yellow corn meal
Provides the main body and the crisp, gritty texture of the fritter.
Flour
Gives the batter structure so the fritters hold their shape when fried.
Baking powder
Releases gas in the batter, helping the fritters puff and turn light inside.
Egg
Binds the batter and adds structure as it sets during frying.
Milk
Hydrates the dry ingredients into a spoonable batter and adds tenderness.
Monterey jack cheese
Melts into the batter, adding richness and savory flavor.

The step that matters

Frying the batter in hot oil. Oil at 375°F sets the outside quickly and browns it before the inside turns greasy. Oil that is too cool lets the batter soak up fat and fry up soggy, while oil that is too hot browns the outside before the center cooks.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (corn, flour, pepper, cheese, egg, milk):

  1. Capsicumfits better
  2. Potatofits better
  3. Asparagusfits better
  4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against corn, flour, pepper, cheese, egg, milk. 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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