Fresh baby corn may have silks attached to the cobs, so you’ll need to pull these silks away while rinsing them. If using frozen baby corn, thaw the corn before use and rinse away any remaining ice crystals. If using canned baby corn, drain the liquid and rinse the corn before use.
Since baby corn is so small, it’s often left whole when cooked and served. If desired, however, you can cut the corn into 1-inch (2. 5-cm) cubes, cut the corn into 1-inch (2. 5-cm) diagonals, or slice each mini cob in half lengthwise. Note that cut baby corn requires less cooking time than whole baby corn, however.
Meanwhile, fill a medium to large bowl with ice water. Set this bowl aside for later use.
The ice water halts the cooking process and prevents the corn from getting any softer. When you feel the baby corn, it should still seem quite crisp.
You can toss blanched baby corn into salads, chilled pasta, or other cold dishes. Similarly, you can add blanched baby corn to hot dishes during the last minute or so of cooking. Since the corn is already partially cooked, you won’t need to continue cooking it much longer.
If desired, you can add salt to the water after it reaches a boil. Doing so can draw more flavor out of the corn as it cooks. Do not add the salt before the water boils, however, since doing so will increase the amount of time required to bring the water up to temperature.
You should be able to easily pierce the corn with a fork, but it should still have some “bite” or crispness. Do not cook it past the tender-crisp stage.
Consider serving the corn with melted butter. You can even season the butter with fresh herbs. You can reserve any leftovers by keeping them in a sealed container in your refrigerator, but you should try to use these leftovers within one or two days.
Make sure that the steamer basket fits inside the mouth of the stockpot. The basket should be able to rest over the lip of the pan without touching the bottom of the pot.
Try to arrange the baby corn cobs into an even layer to promote even cooking.
Check for doneness by piercing the corn with a fork. It should be easy to pierce, but it should still retain some crispness. Past the “tender crisp” stage, baby corn can become soggy and unpleasant.
Consider serving the baby corn with butter or a drizzle of olive oil. Store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Use within one or two days.
Olive oil works well, but you can use other cooking oils, as well. Consider using vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil.
When bitten or pierced with a fork, the baby corn should feel tender but should still retain some “bite” or crispness.
The cooking oil should added flavor to the corn, so you probably won’t need to add any butter. You could, however, serve the corn with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a dash of pepper. Save leftovers in an airtight container and store them in your refrigerator for up to one or two days.
Use a frying thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the batter could get soggy before the corn finishes cooking. If the oil is too hot, the batter could burn before the corn is adequately cooked.
This is a very basic batter, but you can vary the spices as desired to produce a stronger or milder flavor.
Continue working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. The temperature of the oil will drop slightly when you add the corn to it, and adding too much at once can drop the temperature too severely, thereby inhibiting the cooking process.
Deep fried baby corn is difficult to save and will likely become soggy if you attempt to reheat it after refrigeration. If necessary, however, you could refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to one day.
Consider turning the corn once halfway through the cooking process. Doing so can help distribute the flavors of the broth more evenly. Do not cook the corn beyond the tender-crisp stage. It should feel soft when pierced with a fork or bitten into, but it should still retain some “bite” or crispness.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to one or two days.
If desired, you could also sprinkle the coated baby corn cobs with a little salt for an additional boost of flavor.
To promote even browning, stir and flip the baby corn cobs halfway through the baking process. Ideally, the baby corn should be tender-crisp when you remove it from the oven. If you roast it too long, it can become unpleasantly soggy.
Save leftovers in your refrigerator, keeping them inside an airtight container. Use within one or two days.
Loosely cover the dish with its lid or with a sheet of microwave-safe plastic wrap.
The exact cooking time will vary depending on the type and size of the baby corn. Canned baby corn has already been pre-cooked, so it should be done within 2 minutes. Smaller portions of frozen or fresh baby corn may require 3 or 4 minutes, while larger portions might need the full 7 minutes. Check the corn at 1 to 2 minute intervals to avoid cooking it past the tender-crisp stage.
You can serve the baby corn with melted butter, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one or two days.
