Corny Ideas!

Corn has always been part of our food. The onset of winter in Punjab brings to the table makki ki roti (flat corn bread) and sarson ka saag (curried mustard greens)served with a dollop of fresh white butter and gur (jaggery or unrefined sugar).Though corn has been around for centuries, it was mainly eaten either as the bread or off the cob.Nothing very adventurous was done with it. The white sweet corn variety is the type we’d always seen-tasty but not very sweet. These days we see the much yellowier type, almost sugar sweet. We can see carts of “cup-of corn” doing the rounds of the city-at busy market places and on roadsides, selling corn kernels in small disposable cups, mixed with lime, salt and red chili powder.Imaginative.and great on the taste buds!

Fresh Corn Salad


1 cup sweet corn kernels
½ cup fresh grated coconut
½ a cup grated carrot
½ a cup julienne cucumber
¼ cup crushed, roasted peanuts
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ a green bell pepper, julienne
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon powdered sugar (optional)
Salt

Mix all the ingredients-chill. Serve cold!

* Add juliennes of yellow and red bell pepper, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced fresh pineapple if you want!

Sautéed Sweet Corn


1 cup sweet corn
1 onion diced
1 firm, medium tomato diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon ketchup
Salt
2 tablespoons oil
Copped cilantro for garnish

Heat in in a wok. Add cumin to hot oil-wait till it splutters, not chars. Add the garlic and when light brown, add onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes till transluscent.Add the ketchup, tomato and spices. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the sweet corn. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add in 2 whipped eggs at the end, along with some chopped ham. Delicious rolled in a “roti”!!

Corn Rice


1 cup log grain basmati rice
1 onion sliced fine
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tomato diced
1 cup sweet corn
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 level teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water

Heat oil in a small Dutch oven. Add cumin when oil is hot-allow to splutter. Add onions and garlic, sauté till onions are slightly carmalized.Add the corn, tomato and washed rice. Add chilli and salt.Mix and add water. Allow to boil, and when it does, reduce heat to minimum.Cover with well fitting lid. Cook till rice is done.Serve hot!Great on it’s own –or paired with tomato chutney.

Baked Celery-Mushroom-Corn


1 cup sweet corn kernels
10-12 button mushrooms washed and cleaned
¼ cup chopped celery
1/1/2 cups skim milk
2 table spoons flour
2 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon black pepper powder
Salt
Grated cheese (if desired)

Heat oil-add flour. Stir on low heat till light brown. Add cold milk a little at a time, till you get a smooth roux. Season. add corn, celery, mushrooms, and milk.Pour into a baking dish.Top with cheese. Bake for 15 mins or till cheese /top is brown.

*Other additions-bell peppers, spinach, carrots, diced ham, shredded chicken.