Why it works: Pumpkin and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,404 recipes. Both carry ethyl octanoate, which smells fruity. The science ↓
Fried Pumpkin
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a cool oven”. The 300°F (150°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Select the ripest and largest pumpkins.
Peel and stew them until dry.
Spread the pumpkin on plates and dry in a cool oven at 300°F (150°C) until all moisture is extracted.
Store the dried pumpkin in tin cans or boxes in a dry place until needed.
When ready to use, soak the dried pumpkin overnight in sweet milk.
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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Pumpkin + milktop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,404 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
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