China · Sichuan
Salt and Pepper Corn
Corn kernels tossed between absorbent paper until dry, dusted in cornstarch and fried until crisp, then finished with salt and pepper powder and sesame.
The oddest instruction in this recipe is the one about shaking: the kernels are tossed between trays lined with paper again and again, until they are surface dry but still moist inside. That drying is the whole trick, because it is what lets the starch shell stick and the kernels stay sweet in the middle. The flavour profile is borrowed from the snack stalls of Sichuan, where salt and pepper does most of the work.
Ingredients
- corn kernels350 g
- cornstarchExact
- salt and pepper powder10 g
- sesame seeds10 g
Directions
- 1
The corn kernels are already shucked, so just thaw them: soak in warm water for 15 minutes, or boil them for 5 minutes on the hob.
- 2
Take a shallow tray, think of it as box A, line it with absorbent paper and tip in the thawed corn kernels.
- 3
Shake, shake, shake, until the paper is completely wet.
- 4
Take a second tray, box B, line it with absorbent paper and pour all the corn from box A into box B.
- 5
Shake, shake, shake, until the paper is completely wet.
- 6
Repeat this several times until no water droplets are visible on the surface of the corn, while it stays moist.
- 7
Tip in plenty of cornstarch, enough to cover the kernels completely.
- 8
Shake, shake, shake, until the kernels are coated in starch.
- 9
Heat the stove, set on the pan and pour in oil, spreading it over the base as much as possible without using too much.
- 10
When the oil is at about 80 percent heat, add the starch-coated corn kernels.
- 11
Fry over medium heat for 30 seconds first without tossing, or the starch will come off.
- 12
Toss gently and fry for 3 minutes, then turn out.
- 13
The most important step: scatter over 3 g salt and pepper powder and the sesame seeds.
- 14
The fragrant salt and pepper corn is ready.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.