Why it works: Potato and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 8,305 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Fish Balls
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Combine the finely shredded codfish and mashed potatoes in a bowl.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Form the mixture into balls.
Fry
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Fry the balls until golden brown on all sides.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
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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Potato + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,305 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
- Cooked codfish
- Provides the main flavour and protein, and its flakes give the balls their body.
- Mashed potatoes
- Binds the fish together and adds moisture and softness to the inside of the balls.
The step that matters
Frying the balls until golden brown on all sides. Oil that is too cool lets the balls soak up grease and fall apart, while oil that is too hot browns the outside before the centre heats through. Medium heat and turning the balls gives an even golden crust and a hot interior.
“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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