Crispy Baby Corn

Crispy Baby Corn

Why do I like Crispy Baby Corn? Along with my passion for cooking, I also have a fascination for tiny things. No wonder I am inclined towards baby produce. I go coochie-coo and ooh and  aah over my budding  cherry tomatoes  in my garden and likewise over baby carrots when I get them .But my motherly instincts flood me when I hold my crunchy munchy baby corn. As a kid, I remember when I found a small baby corn in the ear of corn I would hold it so lovingly and treasure it until it dried up. I used to caress the long silky hairs and treat it as a doll. I sound weird, don’t I? Well, we all have our idiosyncrasies! Whenever I am served a stir-fry, I am inclined to pick up most of the baby corn and I could care less if anybody else was hankering after it.

Baby Corn Stories

Baby corn is being grown in India and is sold dressed in its robes and undressed too. I like to buy them with their tassels, young husks, silken strands and green stalks .The highest grower of baby corn is Thailand and they call it Candle Corn, it is also known as Cornlettes.  I love them when they are grilled, I love them more when they are sinfully deep-fried and I even munch on them raw. They make great finger food and can be added to noodles, soups, stews and to stir-fries. We Punjus make curries out of everything and baby corn masala is another country cousin of Bhendi masala, isn’t it?

Crispy Baby Corn

Baby corn is mild with a tinge of sweetness, but I like it as it is crunchy. It is very adaptable and enhances the taste of every dish it is added to. Baby corn is extremely low in fat and high in potassium and folic acid. It also has a lower glycemic- index than regular corn, making it a great substitute. Baby corn is mainly corn that is harvested earlier; when the ears are very small and not fully formed.

When you are buying baby corn, you should opt for fresh baby corn as they do not contain any additives. But if you are buying packaged baby corn then you should rinse it thoroughly under running water as it contains high levels of added sodium.

Recipe for Crispy Baby Corn

Ingredients

500 gm Fresh Baby Corns

1 Onion Chopped finely

50 gm Plain Flour

100 gm Corn Flour

2 tbsp Tomato Sauce

Oil to deep fry

Salt 1 tsp

2 tsp Oil

½ tsp Pepper

Sugar 1/2 tsp

1 ½ Tbsp Garlic Chopped or crushed

1/2 tsp Soya Sauce

½ red pepper cut in strips

4 green chillies chopped slanting

1 tbsp coriander

2 tbsp Spring onion

Red food colour

METHOD

If the baby corn is long then cut them into two pieces. Blanch them in boiling water and drain.

Let them cool down. Dust the baby corn in plain flour and corn flour. Toss until all the corn pieces are coated nicely. Add a little salt and a pinch of red food colour. I do not use food colour for regular cooking at home or if there are kids at the table.

Heat the oil and deep fry the corn pieces till crisp and bright red. Remove on paper towel and keep aside. I was munching on the corn as soon as it was out of the oil.

Crispy Baby Corn

Fry the red pepper and green chilli in the oil just for a second and remove on a paper towel.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the garlic and sauté and instantly add the chopped onion and sauté till pink. Do not burn the garlic as it has a very distinct, bitter and unpleasant taste.

Add the rest of ingredients; tomato sauce, soya sauce, salt, sugar, pepper.

Sauté well. Add the crisp fried baby corn and toss it well. Add the chopped spring onion. If you want to make it into gravy then add two tbsps of corn flour diluted in half a cup of milk.

Serve garnished with the red pepper, green chilli and fresh coriander. The end result is crimson red with a spattering of green, Crispy Baby Corn that looks and tastes utterly yummylicious.

If you are looking for more baby corn recipes, try these- Baby Corn Fried Rice, Shahi Mushroom and Baby Corn Biryani, Crispy Baby Corn Satay,

Previous recipes in My Friend Alexa are-Babycorn Mushroom Hakka Noodles Recipe, Baked Seashell Pasta with Baby Corn

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