Corn Fried Rice

Sweet corn kernels in fried rice? I say why not! Though few people would refuse a plate of steaming hot Fried Rice, it’s our absolute favorite at home. A hearty meal with a good mix of proteins and vegetables, this Chinese corn rice dish is a crowd favorite, especially with kids. Fried rice is one of those versatile dishes with a seemingly long list of variations. This recipe gives the popular vegetable fried rice a new twist with the addition of corn kernels – fresh or frozen.

Add a tasty side like Manchurian or tofu chili or even a dry panner dish and you have great meal option.

Before fried rice become available in literally every street corner of the world, it was best enjoyed at select restaurants serving Chinese food or prepared at home from a cookbook.

Ever wondered why fried rice – Asian soul food is popular with kids and adults?
The smoky flavor from hot wok. The hot-sour-salty tang from soy and chili sauce makes the dish so tempting.

What is Corn Rice?

Corn rice is simply a Chinese style stir fried rice variety made with pre-cooked rice, sweet corn kernels, soya sauce and black pepper. To keep the dish vegetarian I have not added eggs here. But sweet corn and soft scrambled eggs! Imagine how delicious that sounds! Right?

If you eat eggs, give that combo a try and I am sure kids and adults will love it alike. I have the instructions for that in the Recipe notes below.

This an healthy meal ready in 30 minutes or less, we know it’s a fried rice dish all right, but with some tweaks that enrich it and provide a new flavor profile.

While the vegetables and rice get the smoky touch from the high flame, we use green chili for the extra heat, regular onions add some sweetness and substitute the sesame oil with any healthier oil of your choice or even with butter.

The fresh herbs add a lot of refreshing flavor, while the apple cider vinegar adds a sweet and tart taste to the corn rice.

Ingredients

Cooked Rice: For this recipe, you will need al dente cooked rice. We do not want mushy or sticky rice here. We want the rice grains in the dish to be separate and fluffy. You may cook rice in a pot, electric cooker or an Instant pot. I detail the instructions here on this post – Fried rice recipe.

I have used basmati rice but any other non-sticky rice goes well.

Sweet corn kernels: You can use fresh corn on the cob or frozen corn. If using corn on the cob, you have to boil the corn cob first until the kernels turn tender and then separate the kernels from the cob. I prefer to use the frozen ones as it is easier and quicker option.

How to make Corn Rice (Stepwise Photos)

1. Rinse bell peppers, green chilli and onions under running water. Chop the bell peppers, slice the green chilli and onions. You will need about

• 2 garlic cloves fine chopped
• ¾ cup chopped bell peppers/ capsicum
• 1 medium onion thin sliced
• 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs of choice. I use celery, mint or coriander, basically any of these I have.

2. If using corn on the cob, boil the corncob until the kernels are tender. Then with a knife remove the kernels. I prefer to use frozen corn for convenience. You also need cooled grainy cooked rice.

3. Heat a wok or pan. Add 2 tablespoons oil or butter. Once hot, fry garlic until it begins to smell good.

4. Add sliced onions and chili. You can also use spring onions whites. If making for kids skip chilli or deseed and use .

5. Stir fry until the onions turn lightly golden but not too soft and soggy.

6. Increase the heat/ flame on your stove to the highest. Add corn and capsicum. Stir fry until the bell peppers become slightly tender, yet crunchy and not too soft. Your corn kernels should also be tender by then.

7. Add fresh herbs of your choice.

8. Add cooled rice, ¼ teaspoon Crushed black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. You can also drizzle some toasted sesame oil or olive oil like the way I did. This is optional and not included in the recipe below. Optionally pour 1 to 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar and 1 to 2 teaspoons of soya sauce or tamari, across the pan.

9. Mix and Stir fry the rice for 2 minutes. Taste test and add more salt, black pepper, soya sauce or vinegar as per your taste.

Serve sweet corn fried rice hot.

For more sweet corn recipes you may like to check
Sweet corn pakoda
Sweet corn soup
Corn chaat
Sweet corn cutlet
Corn cheese sandwich

Recipe Card

Corn Rice Recipe first published in August 2015. Updated & republished in February 2022.