On a summer evening, the sun shines gently on the streets of the town, and the backyard of Aunt Wang's house is filled with a fresh smell of corn.

She happily invited Uncle Li next door to share the joy of the harvest in her cornfield.

"Uncle Li, come on, I just cooked a pot of fresh corn, which is guaranteed to be as sweet as early summer morning dew!" Aunt Wang said as she brought out a plate of steaming corn on the cob from the kitchen.

Uncle Lee took one, the golden kernels glowing seductively in the sun. He took a bite, but his brow couldn't help but furrow:

"Aunt Wang, this corn looks good, but it seems to be missing something. Either it's too hard, or it's overcooked, and the sweetness runs away. ”

Aunt Wang's heart tightened, she cooked it according to her habits for many years, why didn't it taste right this year? .

一、煮玉米，為何9人煮0人錯？

Myth 1: Overcooking, both nutrition and taste loss

Many people mistakenly think that cooking corn for a long time will make it more flavorful, but they don't know that this will not only cause a lot of loss of sweetness and moisture of corn, but also destroy the valuable vitamin C and other water-soluble nutrients in it, making corn dry and tasteless.

Mistake 2: The heat is insufficient, and the taste is greatly reduced

On the other hand, if you are in a hurry or worry about the loss of nutrients and cook for too short, the corn kernels will be hard and hard to chew, which will not only affect the taste, but also increase the digestive burden and greatly reduce the food experience.

Second, the importance of material selection and freshness

Selection criteria for high-quality corn

When selecting corn, you should pay attention to whether the outer skin is tight and undamaged, and whether the corn silk is moist and pale green, which is often a sign of freshness. Gently press the corn kernels and they feel full and elastic, indicating that the corn is fresh and moderately ripe.

Breed Differences and Selection

Sweet corn is known for its natural sweetness and juiciness, making it best served straight or chilled; Waxy corn, on the other hand, is often used in porridge or traditional snacks because of its unique stickiness and low sweetness. Knowing the characteristics of different varieties will allow you to make better choices based on your personal tastes.

3. Correct steps and skills for boiling corn

Let's further refine the steps and techniques of cooking corn to ensure that each step of the process achieves the best results.

Preparation: water with pot selection

Choose the right pots and pans: It is ideal to use a pot with a deep bottom and a wide mouth, which not only ensures that the corn is completely submerged, but also distributes the heat evenly, so that some corn does not come into contact with enough moisture and cannot be cooked thoroughly.

The amount of water used: Make sure that there is enough water in the pot, at least 3-0 cm above the surface of the corn, so that the corn is fully heated and does not dry out due to too little water.

Wash the corn: Before cooking, gently rinse the corn with cold water to remove dust and impurities from the surface, if the corn husk is attached with soil, you can gently scrub it with a soft bristle brush, being careful not to damage the corn skin.

Water temperature and boiling

Pot under cold water: Putting corn in cold water allows the corn to heat up slowly as the water temperature gradually increases, which helps to heat the inside and outside at the same time, and the cooked corn is more uniform and sweet.

Heat control: After boiling the water quickly on high heat, reduce the heat to medium heat and maintain a slight boil. Too much heat will cause the outer layer of corn kernels to soften too quickly, and the inside may not be fully ripe.

Boiling time:

sweet corn: Generally cook for 10 to 0 minutes. Sweet corn is relatively tender and should not be cooked for too long to maintain its natural sweetness and crisp texture.

Old corn: The cooking time can be extended to 15 to 0 minutes. Old corn is harder and takes more time to soften, but care is still taken to avoid getting too soft and losing its texture.

Doneness testing and follow-up processing

Detect doneness: Use a fork to gently pierce the corn cob close to the corn cob, if the fork can easily penetrate the corn kernels, and the corn kernels are full of luster and bright color, it means that they are cooked.

cold bath: Immediately remove the cooked corn with a colander and soak it in cold water prepared in advance for about 2-0 minutes, this step will quickly stop the heating process and maintain the bright color and firm texture of the corn.

Preserve the wonderful use of corn husks: If the inner layer of corn leaves is retained when the corn is cooked, the cooked corn will have a natural aroma, and the corn leaves will also help the corn to heat more evenly during the cooking process.

seasoning: After letting cool slightly, you can brush with a thin layer of brine or butter to add flavor. Brine not only enhances the sweetness of corn, but also makes it richer; Butter adds a creamy flavor to the corn.

By following the above steps and techniques, even if you cook it at home, you can cook delicious corn that retains the original sweetness of corn while being elastic and multi-layered.