Why it works: Rice and onion 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 ↓
Sinasir
3–4Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with about 1 inch of water. Soak for several hours.
Blend the soaked and parboiled rice in a blender until you get a smooth batter, adding water as necessary.
Transfer the batter to a bowl, then mix in the yeast and sugar.
Cover and let ferment at room temperature for a few hours.
Mix in onion, salt, and baking powder.
Cook the pancakes
Heat a non‑stick frying pan and grease with a thin layer of oil.
Scoop in enough batter to make a thin layer in the pan.
Cook until the bottom is browned and the pancake is cooked through.
Remove the pancake and repeat the greasing and cooking process with the remaining batter.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| 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.
-
Rice + oniontop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,433 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Rice + sugartop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together8,744 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Sugar + oniontop 36% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together15,747 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Sugar and onion barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 15,747 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
- Short-grain rice
- Forms the bulk of the batter and gives the pancake its body and soft, starchy texture.
- Yeast
- Ferments the batter during resting, producing gas that gives the pancakes a light, airy texture.
- Sugar
- Feeds the yeast during fermentation and adds mild sweetness and browning.
- Onions
- Add moisture and savoury flavour to the batter.
- Baking powder
- Adds extra lift so the pancakes rise and stay tender.
The step that matters
Fermenting the batter. Fermentation needs enough time at room temperature for the yeast to become active and create gas. Too short a rest leaves the pancakes dense; the batter must be covered so it does not dry out or form a crust.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, sugar):
- Sweet potatofits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against rice, sugar. 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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