Boiled corn is a wonderful, nutritious, vitamin-rich and delicious vegetable. There are many ways to prepare it. But to a greater extent, the taste of cooked corn depends on its maturity, so you need to know how to choose the right ears.
How to choose corn on the cob
When buying corn on the cob on the market, you need to know that an unscrupulous seller can pass off as tough sweet corn intended for animal feed. Grains of fodder corn, in contrast to food corn, have a more intense yellow color. It can also be eaten, but it will take a long time to cook, and it will not taste so sweet and juicy. When choosing corn on the cob, you can resort to a little trick - imperceptibly pierce the grain with your fingernail. If the juice splashes on your finger, then the corn is of good quality.
It's good if the seller allows you to unroll the ear and examine the corn. In a young vegetable, the seeds should be whitish-yellow in color, and the antennae should be white, soft, silky to the touch. If the leaves of the corn are dry, this is a sign that the vegetable has been waiting for a buyer for a long time and has lost its juiciness. Having unfolded the ear, you should also pay attention to whether the grain is the same color. The combination of white and yellow grains, varying in size, indicates that the corn is not ripe or intended for feed. And of course, there should not be any worms under the leaves and antennae. Between peeled cobs and whole cobs, it is better to give preference to the latter; corn kernels wrapped in leaves deteriorate more slowly.
Benefits of corn on the cob
Corn on the cob is a very valuable product in terms of its qualities. It consists almost entirely of fiber, which, entering the intestines, rid the body of harmful toxins and toxins. Corn is a very low calorie food, it consists of starch, fat, sugar, protein and many vitamins. Due to its composition, corn is able to restore disturbed metabolism. This sunny vegetable has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair, nails, skin, helps to cope with insomnia and depression. In addition, corn helps to normalize the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
How to properly cook corn on the cob
Depending on personal culinary preferences, everyone prepares corn the way they like it. But there is no doubt that the vegetable retains the maximum useful properties when steamed or baked in the oven. Young corn is ready for consumption after only 20-30 minutes of boiling. If you cook it for longer, it will become tough and tasteless. It is better to boil it in salted water, placing the cob leaves on the bottom of a saucepan or double boiler. Spice lovers add black or allspice peas. On the table, corn is served hot with butter.
