Ingredient of the Week: Baby Corn

One of the few vegetables that Neil used to eat before I met him was baby corn. I think it was because it is so easy to cook, You just need to remove it from its packaging and slice into whatever size pieces you require. As it’s name suggests, baby corn is simply corn picked early in the growing process, so it has not had time to mature. This means it has a very similar nutritional profile to normal corn, with one stand out difference, it is far lower in carbohydrate. Great for if you are trying to lose or maintain body weight. It is mainly used in Asian cooking such as stir fries or Thai curries. Try it in my recipe for Steamed Oriental Cod & Vegetables or swap the mangetout in Spicy Salmon Stir-Fry for baby corn. If you are looking to add some extra vegetables to a pasta dish, cut some baby corn stalks in half and add them to the pan of pasta with approx 3 mins left to cook.

Why is it good for me?

Although low in carbohydrate, it is high in fibre, which helps to keep the digestive system working efficiently. Fibre also helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer as it takes longer to digest. This is beneficial if you are trying to lose some weight by reducing the need to snack so frequently. Baby corn is a good source of vitamins A and C, two anti-oxidants involved in keeping the immune system working strong. It is also a very good source of iron. Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells for transporting oxygen to the muscles to provide energy for them to work efficiently. Athletes, especially endurance ones like myself, need a good supply of oxygen to their muscles and so need to produce plenty of red blood cells by including plenty of iron rich food in their diet.

How do I prepare it?

Simply remove it from it’s packaging, slice off the base of each baby corn if it feels woody or fibrous and cut to size required. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook and can be stir-fried, boiled, steamed or even microwaved. 

My favourite way to eat it is probably in a Thai curry, like this Green Thai Chicken Curry but if I’m honest, I enjoy it in anything. I definitely prefer it still with a bit of a crunch though, so be careful not to over cook it. Do you have a favourite recipe which includes baby corn? Please get involved and let me know.

Thanks for reading and speak soon.

Lora