Baby Corn Fry Recipe
Updated: May 5, 2024, By Swasthi
This Baby Corn Stir Fry is one of the easiest dish you can make under 15 mins. Whether you serve this on its own or alongside a meal, it tastes delicious. Baby Corn is a staple veggie used in Asian cooking. They are used in stir fry dishes, salads, curry, noodles, fried rice, pilaf and many appetizers. They are also eaten roasted or grilled, with a drizzle of favorite sauce or dip.
About Baby Corn
Baby Corn also known as cornlette, is just regular corn but harvested much earlier before they mature. These immature tiny corn are crunchy and light yellow in color with a sweet husky flavor. They are actually edible raw and require minimal cooking. Overcooking them degrades their flavor and crunch so they are either stir fried, sautéed or blanched for a short period.
These are more commonly grown in Asian countries like India, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan. In Indian cuisine, these are mostly used in Indo-Chinese dishes like Baby Corn Manchurian, chili baby corn and fried rice. At home I often end up making this Baby Corn Stir Fry since it is easy to make and tastes very delicious. This recipe is made on the same lines as this Mushroom Pepper Fry and uses minimal amount of spices so the flavors of the veggie is left intact.
Babycorn are easily available in the country I live, so I use them often in various dishes. Whenever I have them I use in a creamy Makhani sauce, Vegetable Jalfrezi, Mixed Vegetable Curry, Vegetable kadai, Manchow soup and Sweet corn soup. They add a delicate crunch and a sweet flavor to your dishes.
In India, I have had many fancy fusion dishes in restaurants, namely – chili honey baby corn, golden baby corn, dragon babycorn and crispy babycorn. They were so good in anything, for their tender crunch, sweet flavor and delicate texture.
This recipe uses only pantry staples like black pepper, ginger/garlic, curry leaves and crushed fennel for the flavor. Ground black pepper and fennel seeds are a great combo but if you don’t have them simply use garam masala but the flavor would be different. Onions and bell peppers add volume/body to the dish.
I don’t blanch my baby corn and prefer to stir fry as is after a rinse. This helps to retain their crunch and flavor. But if you prefer softer veggies you may blanch them in hot water for 2 to 3 mins.
Photo Guide
Step by step Photo Instructions
1. Heat a pan with oil and add cumin seed. When they begin to splutter, add grated ginger or ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute until aromatic. Do not burn.
2. Add onions and saute until transparent.
3. Add baby corn, bell peppers, turmeric and salt. Stir fry on a high heat for 3 mins. I use red and green bell peppers. You may use what you like. If you don’t have bell peppers, you may use carrots.
4. Cover and cook on a low flame for another 4 to 5 mins, until slightly tender yet crunchy but not too soft. Keep stirring in between to prevent burning. The cook time changes with the freshness of baby corn. Mine are very fresh and just take less than 4 to 5 mins. If yours’ isn’t fresh, splash a tbsp of water and cook.
5. While the baby corn cooks, crush pepper corn and fennel seeds/ saunf to a coarse powder or use garam masala. When the baby corn is tender, add the ground spices and curry leaves. On occasions I also use a handful of methi or spinach that I need to use up.
6. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the leaves wilt and ground spices begin to smell aromatic. Taste test and add more salt if needed. A splash of lemon juice is also nice on this.
Serve stir fried baby corn with rice, roti or any meal.
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Recipe Card
Baby Corn Fry Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1½ tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
- ½ cup onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated (or ginger garlic paste)
- 200 grams (7 ounces) baby corn – chop diagonally to 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup bell peppers or carrots, sliced
- Salt as needed
- 1 pinch turmeric optional
- 1 sprig curry leaves or coriander leaves or ¼ cup methi or ½ cup palak chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon black pepper corn or garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds /saunf (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, stir in the ginger and let cook for 30 seconds. Add onions and stir fry until transparent for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add baby corn, bell peppers, turmeric and salt. Stir fry on a high heat for 2 to 3 mins. Cover and cook on a low heat until the baby corn is slightly tender yet crunchy. It takes me 4 to 5 mins. If your veggies are not young, splash little water and cook.
- Meanwhile, crush black pepper and fennel seeds to a coarse powder. When the baby corn is tender, stir in the curry leaves and ground spices.
- Stir fry for 2 to 3 mins until the spices begin to smell aromatic. Taste test and add more salt or spices to your preference.
- Serve hot with roti, rice – rasam or eat it on its own. A squeeze of lemon juice is nice on this.
Notes
- I haven’t tried the combo of garam masala and methi or spinach in this recipe. But black pepper goes well with methi and spinach.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Love all your recipes.. it’s so simple to follow and easy to prepare, also tastes delicious
Thank you Divya
Thanks for help me looking baby corn
Welcome Maggy
thanks for share this post
My husband loved this dish, although he usually doesn’t like capsicum at all 🙂 I make one dish with ladies finger, tomato and corn where I add a few mint leaves at the end, and I thought of doing the same with this and the mint tasted really good. Will try with spinach/coriander next time.
Glad to know Zanna
Mint sounds good! Yes spinach goes well.
Thank you
Its great
Hello… Very nice n easy dish.. Loved it… Yummmy
Thanks Megha
quick and tasty fry.. very colorful too