What’s so special about corn?

Did you know that corn is part of the grass family, and is both a vegetable and a grain? It’s a starchy vegetable but also a grain because it contains an entire grain kernel. It also grows on every continent except for Antarctica and is a staple food in most countries in the world.

Corn plays a huge part in our daily life, as it is found in many food products—beverages, snacks, canned food, and baked products—gas fuel, plastic, rubber, fabric, and even fireworks. Almost all of these products contain some form of this plant. What an a-maize-ing grass, am I right?

It turns out corn also comes with a high-profile list of nutrients: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre, all of which contribute to several great health benefits: improving blood sugar levels, boosting the immune system, enhancing eye health, and regulating bowel movements.

It’s a good thing that this starchy vegetable is healthy because corn-on-the-cob is definitely one of my favourite snacks to munch on when watching TV. If you’re a fan, you should definitely try this beer-battered corn-on-the-cob recipe.

Beer-Battered Corn-on-the-Cob Recipe

What you need:

4-6 ears of corn

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1 egg beaten

1 can beer of choice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

A least 3/4 inch of oil in the pan to deep fry

How to prepare:

1. Remove the silks and husks from the ears.
2. In a bowl, mix together egg, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and beer. Whisk until smooth and even.
3. Pour the mixture into a pint glass—or whatever you can use to coat the cobs, I like to use a pint glass because it fits perfectly.
4. Skewer up the cobs then dip the cobs into the pint glass of batter to coat evenly.
5. Fill a pan with at least ¾ inch of oil—if you don’t have a deep fryer—on medium-high heat. Place the cobs in the pan and rotate continuously as soon as the batter hits the oil to prevent it from sliding off the cob. It’ll take a few minutes until the batter is golden brown.

Sometimes you’re just craving something deep fried! But at least the corn is nutritious. You can always boil or grill it to make things easier. What are some of your favourite ways to prepare corns?