Ingredient: Sweetcorn
Category: Vegetables
Season: All
Sweet corn (Zea mays var. rugosa), also called sweetcorn, sugar corn, or simply corn, is a variety of maize with high sugar content.
Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes, which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the endosperm of the corn kernel.
Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and fully mature, sweet corn is picked when immature and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain.
Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar into starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten, canned, or frozen before the kernels become tough and starchy
Uses:
The kernels are boiled or steamed, and usually served with butter and salt.
In Europe, China, and Japan, they are often used as a pizza topping.
Corn on the cob is sweet corn cob that has been boiled, steamed, or grilled whole; the kernels are then bitten off the cob or cut off.
Creamed corn is sweet corn served in a milk or cream sauce.
Sweet corn can also be eaten as baby corn
If left to dry on the plant, kernels may be taken off the cob and cooked in oil where, unlike popcorn, they expand to about double the original kernel size. See Corn nuts below.
A soup may also be made from the plant, called sweet corn soup .
Corn nuts (or toasted corn) are a snack food made by roasting or deep frying maize.
Preparation of corn nuts:
Corn nuts are prepared by soaking whole corn in water for three days, then deep-frying them in oil until they are hard and brittle.
Manufacturers of corn nut snacks are:
CornNuts (brand) is part of Planters, a subsidiary of Kraft Foods. It is sold in six flavors: Original, Barbecue, Nacho Cheese, Chile Picante, Salsa Jalisco and Ranch.
Corn Bits is a Filipino brand of corn nuts owned by WL Food Products, based in Valenzuela City, Metro Manila. It is a direct competitor of Boy Bawang.
Boy Bawang (literally "Garlic Boy" in Filipino) is a popular Filipino brand of corn nuts owned by KSK Food Products, based in the Bignay district of Caloocan.
According to the packaging , it is made of corn, vegetable oil, Ilocos garlic and a wide array of flavourings.
It is usually served in small packets.
However, export versions are also served in large-sized bags.
It comes in the original garlic flavour, in addition to chili cheese, adobo, barbecue, hot garlic and lechon manok (grilled chicken). |