Boiled Waxy Corn, Chewy and Subtly Sweet
A summer waxy corn snack boiled with salt and saccharin for a chewy texture and subtle sweetness.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Leaving two layers of inner husks locks in moisture, while the silks add a savory aroma. Boiled in a pot with salt and saccharin, it turns out chewy and sweet just like Korean street food. Letting it rest for 5 minutes after boiling makes the texture even chewier.
- Servings
- about 5 servings
- Cook time
- 30 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Waxy corn10
- Water15 cups
- Salt1 tbsp
- Saccharin1 tbsp
- When buying waxy corn, it is best to buy ears that still have their silks and green color intact, and ask to have the outer husks roughly stripped on the spot. Corn without husks or silks gets dry and hard on the kernels.
- Remove all the husks except for about 2 layers of inner husks, and trim off only the silks poking out. The silks add a savory aroma during boiling, and the husks keep the corn moist so it does not dry out during storage.
- Once the heat cools down, store the corn in a zipper bag or container with the husks still on. If freezing, sprinkle some of the boiling cooking liquid over it to keep it moist before storing.
Steps
Prepare the corn
Remove all the husks except for about 2 layers of inner husks, and trim off only the silks poking out.
The silks add a savory aroma during boiling, and the husks keep the corn moist so it does not dry out during storage.
Here is the trimmed corn with the kernels faintly visible through the husks.
Now simply rinse under running water, and the prep is done.
Boil the corn
I boiled two batches of 10 ears of corn.
Add 10 ears of corn and 15 cups of water to the pot, then add 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp saccharin.
If you do not like sweetness, you can add only salt.
Cover with a lid, and once it begins to boil, simmer over low heat for around 25 minutes.
Partway through boiling, swap the positions of the top and bottom ears of corn.
Check if the corn has boiled up translucent and chewy, pick off a kernel to taste, then turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Once the heat cools down, store the corn in a zipper bag or container with the husks still on.
If freezing, sprinkle some of the boiling cooking liquid over it to keep it moist before storing.
Finish
You can see the glossy, plump chewiness of the corn with your own eyes.
I boiled the corn and shared it around, and I got so many compliments saying it was much tastier than store-bought.
The taste and texture are just like the white waxy corn from last time.
Have a wonderful weekend treating your palate to delicious summer corn, always great whenever you eat it.
Ppunwife's tips
- The silks add a savory aroma during boiling, and the husks keep the corn moist so it does not dry out during storage.
- If you do not like sweetness, you can add only salt.
- Partway through boiling, swap the positions of the top and bottom ears of corn.
- Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
FAQ
Why boil the corn with the inner husks and silks left on?
The corn silks add a savory depth of flavor, while the inner husks help keep the kernels moist and prevent them from drying out during storage after boiling.
Do I have to add the sweetener?
If you do not care for sweetness, you can leave out the saccharin and boil it with salt alone.
Is there a way to retain moisture when freezing boiled corn?
Once the heat has cooled, place the corn with its husks in a container and sprinkle some of the boiling cooking liquid over it before freezing to help minimize drying out.
Why swap the positions of the top and bottom ears in the pot?
Swapping the top and bottom ears while the water boils ensures that the heat and seasoning penetrate evenly so that every ear cooks uniformly.
