How to choose fresh and quality corn
You should choose corn with fresh green husks, not dried out, tightly hugging the corn cob and the corn silk should also look fresh.
Choose corn with even and shiny kernels, avoid choosing corn that is too big and opt for slim, medium-sized corn cobs.
If possible, you can use your fingernail to press on the kernels to check if the corn is young or mature to make a suitable choice for your cooking needs and your family.
It is recommended to choose fresh, young, and newly harvested corn for boiling, but you should not choose corn that is too young as it will have less starch. On the other hand, old corn, when boiled, will be tough, woody, and not tasty.
How to boil corn easily
First, you should remove a few layers of the outer husk of the corn. Note that you should keep the corn silk, as it will make the corn sweeter.
Place the corn in a pot and pour water to cover about 2/3 of the corn, avoid filling the pot with too much water as it will make the corn mushy and less sweet. Then add a little salt to the pot and boil over high heat until the water boils, then reduce the heat.
The sweet corn will take an average of 20 minutes to boil. For different types of corn, you should boil for a longer time to ensure even cooking. You can use a toothpick to check if the corn kernels are tender, then turn off the heat.
However, if you want the boiled corn and corn broth to be more flavorful, sweeter, you can add some spices as follows.
Spices to add when boiling corn
Use milk, butter, and sugar
After cleaning the corn, put it into the pot, then add two packs of unsweetened fresh milk.
Then add water to cover the corn, just enough to submerge it, cover the pot, and start boiling over high heat.
When the milk water in the pot boils, reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1 piece of butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2g of salt. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can add a little more butter, or if you don’t like it too rich, you can add a bit less. Boil for about 3 cobs, add 1 piece of butter equivalent to a quail egg.
Cover the pot and continue boiling for 15-20 minutes, when the liquid in the pot thickens and emits a milky smell, it is done. Turn off the heat and let the corn soak in the pot for a few minutes before eating. The kernels will be firm, plump, juicy, and have an especially fragrant and enticing flavor.
Use salt and baking soda
It may sound strange, but these two ingredients will make the corn even more delicious.
Before boiling the corn, you need to remove the outer husk, leaving about 2 to 3 thin layers. Then rinse it well. Do not remove all the husk as it will make the corn less fragrant and lose its sweetness.
Next, put the corn in the pot, pour cold water to cover about 2/3 of the corn, then cover the pot and wait for the water to boil before adding salt and baking soda.
Salt helps to purify the corn, making it taste fresher, sweeter, while baking soda prevents the corn from losing too much water during boiling. The combination of salt and baking soda will make the corn sweeter and more tender.
When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the corn is cooked, then turn off the heat. When the corn is cooked, it is recommended to remove it promptly because if the corn is left in the pot for too long, the nutrients of the corn will be lost, and the moisture will dilute the aroma of the corn, making it less sweet and tender.
So, with just a little salt and baking soda, you can have boiled corn that is sweeter and more tender.