Cooked corn is one of the most deliciousand loved by many summer delicacies. As soon as she appears on the store shelves, we hurry to buy at least a couple of cobs to enjoy a delicacy familiar from childhood. Cooked corn is adored by both adults and children. Despite the fact that this culinary masterpiece is quite simple in appearance, many do not know how to properly cook corn so that it retains all its taste and nutritional value. As the experienced culinary experts assure, preparing this dish at home is really not so difficult. But it's not a bad idea to learn about some secrets and subtleties of this process. How correctly to cook corn? How to choose a product? How it is and how to keep it right? What is the benefit and harm of cooked corn? We will try to answer all these questions in our article.
History
It is known that in the territory of Russia cornappeared in the XVII century. It came from the south of Ukraine, Crimea and the Caucasus. Benefit from the use of cereal in a cooked form was immediately noticed. In the XIX century, the population was given away its seeds for free, and everywhere the trade of boiled corn was encouraged.
About the benefits of the product
Incredibly tasty, juicy and fragrant, shehas a mass of properties beneficial to human health. A lot has been written about the benefits and harms of boiled corn. According to experts, corn contains a huge amount of vitamins (PP, K, D, B, C, etc.), in addition, it contains copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, glutamic acid and other substances necessary for humans. It is called the real treasure trove of vitamins and trace elements! To provide the body with the necessary nutrients in a day, it is enough to eat 40-50 g of corn.
Useful properties of this culture are preserved incooked form: the shell of its seed in the process of cooking does not collapse. An extraordinary positive effect of cooked corn, flavored with butter, is noted in the treatment of constipation, heart disease, liver, blood vessels, gout and jade. Boiled stigmas of corn are recommended for use in hepatitis, cholangitis, cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. With gastritis, rinse corn soup is added to the ration, which beneficially affects the gastric mucosa. The use of cooked corn helps slow down the aging of tissues and prevent the development of cancer.
Nutrition of this culture is explained by the fact that it is quite high-calorie. According to this indicator, maize is ahead of some sorts of legumes, 100 g of its grains contain up to 300-350 kcal.
The value of corn is also in the fact thatIt does not accumulate and does not retain chemical substances entering the soil as fertilizers. Corn in its environmental safety is ahead of many other crops.
Contraindications
It should be noted that boiled corn is not for all equally useful. This product is contraindicated for people suffering from high blood coagulability and anorexia.
The most gentle preparation
Experts argue that the healing propertiescorn is kept to the greatest extent when cooking it for a couple. In the process of cooking, some of the beneficial substances leave the grains in the water. With steam cooking in corn, all the necessary vitamins are preserved. In addition, many people consider steam corn to be more juicy and sweet.
About product selection
And yet it is the boiled corn that is most popular among the inhabitants of the countries of the former CIS. For many, the actual question is how to properly cook corn.
Experts say that in order for corn inThe result of cooking proved to be juicy and soft, first of all, it is necessary to choose the correct cobs for cooking. What kind of corn to cook? The globules are only at first sight completely identical, in fact they can differ greatly in their taste, depending on the variety, the type of corn and the degree of its maturity.
On the variety and species diversity of culture
Experts divide all corn into two types:sweet (food) and stern, intended for animal feed. Used in food, and the one and the other. Some gourmets prefer harsh and not cloying fodder varieties. But it is the food corn that users identify as the most delicious. Everyone knows that her sweet, juicy grains are melting in her mouth.
Many are interested in the question of how much to cook corn. Young corn of early varieties are cooked from 15 minutes. up to 1 hour. For preparation of fodder and late varieties it will take from 2 to 5 hours.
Corn lovers should remember thatnatural fresh young corn can be bought on the market only in the season ending in August. Cobs, sold later, are more often hard and ripe. Experts argue that the best for cooking are suitable cobs with grains of light yellow or milky white color. The presence of bright yellow color indicates their "advanced" age. Corn grains should be soft, but elastic, of equal size and close to each other. Determine that the young cob is in front of us, it is possible by the following sign: young grains contain a special white viscous liquid, similar to milk. If the grains are not quite round, but with dimples, this means that the corn is ripe and for cooking it is not suitable. It is also important to take into account the appearance of the leaves: they should not be yellow, dry and very much behind the cobs. Choose corn without leaves are not recommended.
How to cook corn properly: preparatory stage
Before starting the preparation, the ears are washed underrunning water and cleaned of dirty and spoiled leaves. This is not a necessary procedure. Corn can be cooked and with leaves (clean). Before cooking, the cob is recommended to soak for 1 hour in water (cool). They should be about the same size, otherwise the corn will be welded unevenly. Large cobs before cooking cut in half.
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At the bottom of the pot, corn leaves are laid, onthey spread cleaned cobs. Leaves should be placed and on the sides, so that the product does not come into contact with the walls of the pan. On top of the ears also cover with leaves and add "antennae" - from them the corn will become appetizing and sweet. After that, pour water so that all the cobs are completely covered and put the pan on fire.
How long will it take to cook
How much to cook corn, as already mentioned,depends only on how mature she is. The more ripe it is, the longer its cooking time will be. For young cobs take no more than 20-30 minutes. Ripe corn boils for about 30-40 minutes. Overripe cobs boil for about 2-3 hours. It is very important not to digest the corn, otherwise its grains will become hard.
About dishes
Many are interested in how to cook corn inpan What kind of dishes to choose for cooking? According to experts, the best corncobs cook in a pot or a cauldron with thick walls made of cast iron. Cookware should be well covered with a lid, because cooking sometimes takes a long time. For cooking corn best deep and wide pan, in which the cob can easily fit entirely. In the absence of such a capacious cob capacity, several parts can be broken. Corn is also cooked in a microwave or in a double boiler. In addition, the product can be baked in the oven.
If the corn is overripe
Masters know the means by whichover-ripe corn when cooked can be made juicy and soft. To do this, before starting the process, the cobs are freed from the leaves and fibers, cut in half, filled with a mixture of milk and cold water (1: 1), in which the product is kept for 4 hours. After that, the cob is boiled in plain water.
Recommendations
Those who are interested in how to cook corn on the cob, experienced housewives recommend:
- Corn should be dipped in boiling water.
- It is not necessary to salt the water during cooking, otherwise the corn kernels will become hard. Salt the product for 5 minutes. until ready or already when serving.
- In the water, you can add a little sugar or butter. These products will add sweetness to corn.
- It is not recommended to cook corn on a very largeon fire After it boils, the flame must be turned down. In order to preserve all the useful properties on the cob, they should be boiled over low heat at a temperature of up to 250 degrees.
- Cooked corn is eaten immediately after cooking, as it cools as it cools.
- The readiness of the corn is determined by taste, you can also check the softness of the corn kernels with a fork.
- If the size of the cob is too large for the pan, then they are cut into pieces.
Corn cooked in a double boiler
There are many interesting answers to the question ofhow to cook boiled corn. One common way to do this is to make this popular delicacy in a double boiler. Corn is washed and placed in a form. Pour one glass of water to form steam. Young corn cooked in a double boiler for 5-10 minutes. For forage varieties or overripe cobs, it will take about 40 minutes.
Corn cooked in the oven
The cobs are washed, cleaned and tightly laid indeep baking dish, which is pre-lubricated with butter (cream). Pour boiling water so that it barely covers the product. The oven is heated to 120 degrees, the form with the cobs is set into it and baked for 40 minutes.
Cooking corn in a pressure cooker
Washed cobs spread in a pressure cooker,water is poured so that it completely covers the corn. Young ears will be cooked in 10-15 minutes, for old or forage it will take more time - up to 40 minutes.
How to cook boiled corn in the microwave? Recipe without water
This method is the fastest.For cooking in the microwave, only young corn is suitable. It is placed in a food bag (plastic), tightly tied and boiled for 10 minutes. at a power of 800 watts. You can also cut off part of the cob, leave it in the leaves. Corn is boiled in its own juice for about 5 minutes.
Corn cooked in the microwave: a recipe with water
Помытую кукурузу укладывают в емкость microwave, pour water and cover with a lid. The microwave is tuned to 700-800 watts. It is necessary to control that water does not boil over. If necessary, add boiling water to the container. Using this cooking method, you will get boiled corn in 45 minutes.
How to eat corn
Boiled corn at the end of cookinginsist in a saucepan under the lid for 10 min. Due to the internal temperature, it becomes softer. After this time, the finished corn is taken out of the pan, smeared with butter, sprinkled with spices and salt. Serve at the table should be hot. Corn stalk is not eaten. The taste of boiled corn can be varied by sprinkling it with grated hard cheese.
About storage
Raw corn before cooking stored in the refrigeratorabout 2 weeks. Boiled cobs should be eaten as soon as they are cooked, because over time they lose their nutritional properties. It is permissible to store boiled corn in the refrigerator directly in its broth for two days, but no more.