Good But Odd Food Combinations

Food is all about exploration isn’t it. Seeing what works and what doesn’t work. Some combinations are classic love stories such as peanut butter and jelly, bread and butter, roti canal and curry. While some others are incredible combinations that just seem to match perfectly. And then you have some combinations that are a bit of a head scratcher. They are weird and odd in theory, but practically : they are delicious. And you wonder how you’ve gone so long without these odd combinations. Below are a list of some odd food combinations that actually work. Give them a go if you have not tried them before. 

1. Fries and Ice Cream

A classic. I think we were all tempted to try this when our McDonald’s order came through. Dipping that golden salty stick of love into a cold and refreshing swirl of vanilla ice cream was the exact symphony that we needed. It mixes sweet and salty in a subtle (and not overbearing way) that will make you keep going back for more. And the best part is that it works with any fries and any ice cream.

2. Avocado and Chocolate

Avocado rolls into the savoury route but chocolate on the sweeter route. So how in the world does this work? But it oddly does. Especially if you fabricate a chocolate avocado mousse. The creaminess of the avocado really works to incorporate the chocolate. It tastes a little funny because of the texture however, you quickly get over it by the sweet and nostalgic taste of chocolate. I guess it helps that avocado has a more subtle flavour.

3. Strawberry and Basil

You hear basil, you think pasta. You definitely don’t think of a fruit, let alone a strawberry. But try taking a bite of a strawberry and a bite of basil together. It just fits. It’s an odd flavour to try to describe but it is along the lines of refreshing. It is almost like mint in your favourite fruit smoothie. It has a refreshing aftertaste with a sweet undertone.

4. Chocolate Milk and Salt

This combination has the same tone of the fries and the ice cream. This is because this is a combination of sweet and salty. But the only difference in this combination is that the salt does not overpower the chocolate milk. They actually compliment each other, making the chocolate taste more vibrant and sweet. It enhances the milk as opposed to fighting it. It’s co-existing, not separate.

5. Cheese and Jam

This works best when you’re working with a soft cheese (like a brie) with a more tart jam (like cranberry jam). It’s a little tart and sour and the first, but the creaminess and the soft texture of the cheese mellows out your taste buds. This combination on a fresh roll on bread is just so good. What would make it even better? If the cheese was a little warm and oozy. This is a sort of gourmet grilled cheese.

6. Chocolate and Chilli

Yeah, this definitely sounds weird. But believe me, it’s been known to be used by people thousands of years ago. Every heard of mole? The thick Mexican stew that is made with chilli and chocolates. Yes! Chocolate and chillis. They work hand in hand to create a taste spicy node. The chocolate brings a bitterness to the stew whereas the chillis are the kick of the stew

7. Ramen and Cheese

Slowing make a rise to mainstream media is the combination of ramen and cheese. Oh yes this works. And this works with even the cheapest of cheap cheeses. You do not need prime grade Parmesan. All you need is the pregrated pizza cheese in the refrigerated section on a bed on hot ramen. It takes your ramen from a soup to a cheesy thick stew. It works, trust me.

8. Chicken and Waffles

If there is any combination that I will completely vouch for, it is this! Chicken and waffles are a match made in heaven. They should be the new bread and butter. Drizzling some maple syrup over the chicken and waffles is just what you need. The infusion of the sweetness on the chicken into the soft waffle. It’s a adrenaline rush for your taste buds.

9. Beef Patty and Peanut Butter

Okay, this is not so crazy when you think about it. We eat beef satay with peanut sauce. So why is a beef burger patty with peanut butter so crazy? The peanut butter (creamy not crunchy) actually gives a richness to the burger.

10. Chips and Nutella

Same concept as the fries and the ice cream. Salty and Sweet. It kind of goes hand in hand, doesn’t it? The nutella is extra nice because that hazelnut chocolate gets a little drip of salt from the chips. And then the nutella tastes more enriched. The flavours are heightened and tastier.

11. Rice and Tomato Sauce

Crazy doesn’t it? But the tomato sauce has a sweet savoury taste to it. Therefore, if you want to be extra special : all you need to do is stir fry some white rice with some tomato sauce. Add a little bit of fixings on the side (peas, carrots, chicken) and add an egg on top. You essentially got a plate of fried rice with a little subtle sweetness to carry it.

12. Oreos and Orange Juice

Oreos and milk just go together right, because the milk is a neutral flavour that is able to be absorbed into the oreo. But orange juice can do that trick too. But with the orange juice, it gives a citrusy zest to the oreo. This actually makes the cream part of the oreo taste a bit better.

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Article is written by: 

Fatin Najwa binti Daud, is a medical student studying at IMU Malaysia. She is a freelance writer of this blog at Zaahara. Interests include music, art, sports and travel.

-Photos are taken from google images

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