Is there anything more versatile than corn? With it you can do everything: juices, cakes, creams, ice creams, soups, as well as several other preparations, both sweet and savory. Not to mention that corn is also the basis of several products, such as cornmeal, hominy, couscous, popcorn, as well as flours and oils.
But for everything to work out, you need to learn how to cook corn, so that it is soft and juicy.
And believe me, there are several different ways to cook corn and we’ll tell you all of them in this post.
We will see?
Corn Benefits
There are people who despise the benefits of corn, because they think the food is nutritionally poor, but did you know, for example, that corn is a source of important minerals?
Yeah! Corn is a source of potassium, iron and magnesium, three fundamental minerals for human health, responsible for various chemical processes in the body.
In addition, corn is also rich in vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin E and vitamin B3. And you know what? Corn is full of fiber, which means it helps those who want to lose weight.
These properties of corn make it also contribute to the health of diabetics, since fiber and vitamin B3 help to control the blood sugar level.
The fibers in corn also help control cholesterol and improve bowel function.
Corn also has antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for good vision and for preventing eye diseases.
It is worth knowing that 100 grams of cooked green corn offer 98 calories, 3.2 grams of protein, 2.4 grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrates.
Another important detail: both corn and its derivatives do not have gluten, that is, people with celiac disease or who are on a gluten-restricted diet can eat corn at will.
How to cook corn
How corn is cooked will depend on how you want to eat it later. If the intention is to consume the pure grains, a good way is to bake them in the oven or on a grill. For recipes and other preparations, it is worth cooking them in water or steam.
Tip: the younger the corn, the faster it cooks. See below for step by step how to cook corn correctly.
1. How to cook corn in the common pan
An easy and very simple way to cook corn is in the conventional pan. To do this, start by removing the corn husks and washing the ears.
Then cut the ears in half and place them in the pan with enough water to cover.
If desired, add a drizzle of oil, a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. When it starts to boil, count about 40 minutes.
Make sure the beans are cooked and soft. If necessary, continue the cooking process until the ideal point is reached.
2. How to cook corn in the pressure cooker
Are you in a hurry? Then cook the corn in the pressure cooker. Here, the process is very similar to the previous one, the difference is the cooking time that falls in half.
Remove the straws, wash the corn well, cut the ears in half and place them in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover. Add a tablespoon of salt and a drizzle of oil.
Close the pan and when you start to get pressure, count 20 minutes and turn off. Make sure the beans are cooked.
3. How to steam corn
For those who want to preserve the maximum of the nutrients and flavor of the corn, they can opt for the steam cooking method.
You can either thresh the ear and cook only the beans, or you can steam the whole ear.
The process is simple: remove the straws, wash the ears and, if you wish to thresh, then place the corn on the steaming basket.
Wait about 25 to 30 minutes and check if the beans are already soft.
4. How to cook corn in the microwave
Another practical way of cooking corn is in the microwave. To do this, simply place the entire ear in a container and take it to the appliance. Turn the microwave on at full power for about 4 minutes. Place only one ear at a time.
Attention: do not remove the corn straw, it will help in the cooking process. If you have purchased corn without straw, then you will need to wrap it in a paper towel.
Be careful when removing and handling corn from the microwave. Hot steam can cause burns. Wait about 5 minutes for the ear to cool slightly.
5. How to make baked corn
What do you think about making a roasted or grilled corn? This type of preparation is perfect when you want to consume pure corn.
To bake it in the conventional oven, you must first remove the straw (but do not discard it) and wash the ears.
Then return the corn cob to the straw and place it on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle butter, salt, pepper and some herb or seasoning of your choice, such as rosemary, basil or thyme.
Close the foil, wrapping the corn completely. Place all the packed ears on a baking sheet and bake in the medium oven for about 30 minutes.
Make sure the beans are smooth and colored. Serve while still hot.
6. How to make corn on the grill
Another option is to make the corn on an electric grill or on the barbecue. In the latter case, corn gains a smoky flavor beyond that special.
To make corn on the grill, you must remove the straw (but don't throw it away), wash it and then soak the corn in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes.
Then season the corn with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap it again in the straw. Take to the grill or barbecue for about 15 minutes or until you notice that the beans are lightly toasted and cooked.
How to conserve corn
Do you want to conserve corn? So the tip is to freeze it. The process for freezing corn is called blanching, the same used to preserve broccoli and cauliflower.
Start by removing the straw and washing the ears well. Then place the corn in a pan with boiling water and leave it there for 4 minutes. I
immediately after that time take it out of the hot water and place it in a bowl with ice water and ice. Leave the corn in this cooling process for another three minutes.
Then just store the corn in pots or bags for the freezer. In the freezer, corn can last up to three months.
Corn does not need to be defrosted beforehand. Remove it from the freezer straight to the pan, so you avoid that rubbery texture.
Ready!. That way you will have corn to consume whenever you want.
