Why it works: Raisin and cinnamon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,390 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-ol, which smells mushroom, earthy. The science ↓
Yerushalmi Kugel
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the noodles
Boil noodles according to the instructions and drain.
Make the caramel
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add 1/3 cup (80g) of sugar.
Stir continuously until the sugar begins to brown.
Remove from heat.
Let the sugar continue to brown for a few more minutes, creating a thick caramel.
Add the caramel to the noodles.
Mix and bake
Add the sugar, eggs, cinnamon, pepper, and raisins. Stir.
Bake in a pan at 350°F (180°C) until the top begins to brown (about 40 minutes).
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
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.
-
Raisin + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,390 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Pepper + cinnamontop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,890 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Sugar + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together30,779 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Olive + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together30,263 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Olive + cinnamontop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,501 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
Sugar and cinnamon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 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
- Noodles
- Form the starchy body that holds the kugel together after baking.
- Eggs
- Bind the noodles and set during baking to give the kugel structure.
- Sugar
- Caramelizes to add sweetness, colour and a deep browned flavour.
- Olive oil
- Coats the noodles and carries the caramel, adding fat and richness.
The step that matters
Let the sugar caramelize fully before adding it to the noodles. Sugar darkens quickly once it starts to brown, so removing it from heat at the right moment gives a rich caramel rather than a bitter, burnt flavour.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, sugar, olive, pepper, cinnamon):
- Lemonfits better
- Limefits better
- Vanillafits better
- Raisinthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, sugar, olive, pepper, cinnamon. 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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