Corn Fried Rice: Comforting Indo-Chinese Fusion Corn 

Fried Rice is an ordinary and common dish widely consumed across the globe. It is mostly suited for a simple dinner after reaching home from a tiring day at work. But 'only fried rice' seems boring now, right? So how about uniting fried rice and sweetcorn. The idea to customise American sweet corn with Chinese inspired fried rice is definitely brilliant. Food really seems to know no boundaries. This is one of the most preferred rice-based dishes that can give an alchemist twist to your regular and monotonous fried rice. Cook this sumptuous Corn-Fried meal with leftover rice. The filling and appealing Chinese variation includes capsicum, spring onions, celery, crushed pepper, soy sauce,  and vinegar. The dish is gluten-free and vegan. The delicacy is so easy and satisfying. 

Native Americans in southern Mexico domesticated corn for the first time around 10,000 years ago. It is thought that the Balsas teosinte (Zea mays parviglumis), a wild grass, is the ancestor of modern maize. The third-largest source of plant-based protein in the world is corn. Despite being a staple diet in many regions of the world, corn has lower nutritional content than other cereals. Niacin deficiency and poor protein quality characterise this food. Diets where it predominates frequently lead to pellagra (niacin-deficiency disease). Corn has lots of antioxidants and dietary fibre.

Cooking time – 20 minutes

Servings – 3 Bowls

Ingredients:

• 200 gm Basmati Rice
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Oil
• 3 cups Water
• 1 Corn Cob
• ½ cup Spring Onions Whites, chopped
• 2 tsp Celery, chopped
• ¼ cup Capsicum (red, green, or yellow), finely chopped
• 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly crushed
• 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 3 tbsp Spring Onions Greens
• Salt, as per taste

Method:

For Boiling Rice 

• Wash, cleanse and rinse rice very well. 
• Soak rice in enough water for 1 hour. Drain the water afterwards.
• Heat enough water along with salt and some oil. Let it boil.
• Add the soaked rice grains to the steaming water. Stir with a fork or spoon.
• Cook the rice over  medium to high flame without the lid.
• Cook till the rice turns al dente.
• Turn off the flame and strain the rice. Cover it and let it cool at temperature.

For Cooking Corn 

• While the rice is cooking, in the meantime, steam a large corn cob in a pressure cooker. (You can even use a steamer). 
• Firstly, add water and corn cob. Allow it to steam for 3 whistles.
• Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Take out cob with a pair of tongs and place it on a plate to cool down.
• Once cool, slice the corn kernels from the cob. Reserve 1 ½ cup of corn kernels.

For Corn Fried Rice 

• Heat sesame oil in a non-stick saucepan.
• Add spring onion whites. Stir-fry for a few minutes over medium-high flame.
• Add capsicum and stir and mix again.
• Add chopped celery. Sauté and mix all the ingredients well with each other.
• Now, add corn kernels and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• Now, add fermented soy sauce.
• Further add crushed black pepper and give a nice, gentle stir.
• Now, divide the rice into 2 batches.
• Add in the first batch, give a light mix. And then add the second batch of rice grains followed by salt. Mix well.
• Add chopped spring onion greens.
• Finally, add rice vinegar. Combine thoroughly and turn off the heat.
• Garnish with spring onion and serve hot with Manchurian!

Relish the Corn Fried Rice along with a spicy soup, or chilli paneer. Enjoy the delish as a light brunch, quick lunch or filling dinner. The appetising meal can also be packed in lunch boxes