Crispy Corn Recipe (Restaurant-Style Fried Corn) – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Crispy Corn is a popular Indian restaurant-style snack made by coating boiled sweet corn kernels with cornflour and rice flour, then deep-frying them. The fried kernels are tossed with chilli powder, chaat masala and other seasonings. The coating is crisp, while the corn remains tender and mildly sweet inside. Crispy corn is served hot as a starter, appetizer or evening snack.

My Way of Making Crispy Corn

I enjoy crispy corn and sometimes make it when I want a crisp and spicy starter at home. For this recipe, I first slice the kernels from fresh corn cobs and then boil them briefly. This is how I prefer to prepare the corn, as fresh kernels have a better flavor and firmer texture.

Preparing the corn: You can also use ready fresh sweet corn kernels to make crispy corn. Frozen sweet corn will work, but cook it only for a couple of minutes and drain it very well. Since frozen corn is usually blanched before freezing, avoid overcooking it.

Getting the coating right: As the recipe name suggests, the corn should be crisp. The trick is to drain the boiled kernels thoroughly while keeping them lightly moist so that the cornstarch and rice flour stick evenly. The coating should be thin and dry, not thick or pasty.

I season the fried corn with Chaat Masala, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black pepper and black salt. I do not add onions, capsicum or any sauce, so this is my own simple dry version rather than an exact Barbeque Nation-style crispy corn.

I hope you enjoy this crisp and spicy corn snack as much as I do.

Ingredients You Need

1. Sweet corn: Use 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels from about 2 medium corn cobs. The kernels should be tender and naturally sweet. Frozen sweet corn can also be used after thawing.
2. Cornflour: This forms the main crisp coating. In the US, Indian cornflour is sold as cornstarch. Use white cornstarch, not corn flour or cornmeal made from ground corn.
3. Rice flour: Rice flour makes the coating lighter and adds crispness. It also reduces the need for all-purpose flour or maida.
4. Seasonings: Red chilli powder, chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, black pepper and black salt give the corn its spicy, tangy Indian restaurant-style flavor. Use Kashmiri chilli powder if you want more color with less heat.
5. Coriander and lemon: Coriander leaves add a fresh herby flavor, while lemon juice adds tanginess.
6. Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as sunflower, rice bran, peanut or avocado oil, for deep-frying.

If you enjoy snacks made with sweet corn, try my Masala Corn, Corn Chaat, Corn Pakoda and Corn Kebab recipes as well.

How to Make Crispy Corn (Stepwise)

Prepare Corn

1. Remove the husks and silk from 2 medium corn cobs.

2. Place one cob upright on a chopping board and carefully slice downward with a sharp knife. Keep the blade close to the cob so you remove whole kernels without slicing through them.

Tip: You can also remove the kernels individually with your fingers.

Note: Remove any kernels that are cut open or crushed. Do not coat or fry them, as their exposed moisture may cause additional spluttering in the hot oil.

3. Measure 2 cups corn kernels.

4. Add 4 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt to a pan.

5. Bring the water to a boil on medium heat.

6. Add the corn kernels.

7. Boil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

Do not overcook them, as very soft corn kernels can become difficult to coat and fry.

8. Remove the kernels with a spider strainer or slotted spoon, or pour them into a colander.

9. Drain very well and spread them on a plate or tray for a few minutes. Let them cool and become dry.

The kernels should remain lightly moist so the flour sticks, but no water should be dripping from them.

Make Seasoning

10. In a small bowl, take the below listed ground spices and seasonings:

• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• ¼ teaspoon black salt or regular salt

11. Mix very well. Keep this seasoning ready before you begin frying so you can add it while the corn is hot.

Coat Corn

12. Transfer the cooled corn kernels to a wide bowl.

13. Add 2 tablespoons cornflour, 1 tablespoon rice flour, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder.

14. Mix and toss until each kernel has an even flour coating.

15. Add 2 tablespoons cornflour and 1 tablespoon rice flour again.

16. Toss and mix again. Gently separate any kernels that have stuck together.

Tip 1: If the coating remains dry and does not adhere, sprinkle 1 teaspoon water at a time, using no more than 3 teaspoons, and toss again.

Tip 2: If the mixture becomes wet or pasty, add 1 more tablespoon cornflour.

17. Transfer the coated kernels to a sieve. Shake it gently to remove excess loose flour. This keeps loose flour from falling into the oil, where it can collect and burn.

Fry Corn

18. Heat 2 cups oil, or as needed for deep-frying, in a deep, heavy kadai, wok or pan over medium-high heat. Bring the oil to 175 to 180°C (347 to 356°F).

If you do not have a thermometer, add one coated kernel. It should rise quickly and fry with steady bubbles without turning brown at once.

19. Carefully add a small batch of the flour coated corn kernels. Quickly and gently stir once with a long-handled slotted spoon to separate them, then immediately cover the kadai with a splatter screen or partially open lid.

Do not overcrowd the kadai.

20. Immediately place a splatter screen or lid over the kadai, as the corn kernels may sometimes pop while frying. If using a lid, keep it slightly open so the steam can escape.

Note: Do not cover the kadai tightly, as condensation may form and drip into the hot oil.

21. After about a minute, when the popping has reduced, carefully remove the splatter screen or lid.

Gently stir with a long-handled slotted spoon to separate any kernels that may have stuck together.

22. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes in total, or until the coating is crisp and light golden. The bubbling and sizzling will reduce noticeably when the corn is ready.

Note: Keep a safe distance from the hot oil while stirring.

23. Remove the fried corn with a slotted spoon. Drain it briefly in a single layer on kitchen paper so the paper absorbs the surface oil.

Fry the remaining corn in 2 to 3 batches, allowing the oil to return to the correct temperature before adding each batch.

Season Crispy Corn

24. Transfer the fried corn to a mixing bowl while it is still hot. Sprinkle the prepared seasoning evenly over the crispy corn and toss at once so it adheres.

Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Toss, taste and add the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice only if needed.

Add regular salt only after tasting, as the coating, chaat masala and black salt may already provide enough saltiness.

25. Serve crispy corn immediately. Do not allow it to cool, as the coating will soften and become chewy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve crispy corn hot as a starter, evening snack or party appetizer. It does not need a dip, but you can serve tomato ketchup, green chutney or a chilli sauce on the side.

Add the lemon juice just before serving, particularly when preparing the crispy corn for guests. You can also mix the crispy corn with some finely chopped onions and green chillies before serving.

Storage

Crispy corn is best eaten immediately and is not suitable for long storage after seasoning. If needed, refrigerate the boiled, well-drained corn in a covered container for up to 1 day and coat and fry it just before serving.

Leftover fried crispy corn will lose its crispness; reheating it in an air fryer or oven may improve the texture slightly, but it will not be the same as freshly fried corn.

Dassana’s Recipe Tips

• Drain the corn thoroughly: Excess water makes the coating pasty and increases splattering during frying. The corn should be only faintly moist when you add the flours.
• Use the correct cornflour: Use white cornflour for the coating. In the US, it is sold as cornstarch. Do not use corn flour or cornmeal.
• Keep the coating light: Use only enough cornflour and rice flour to cover each kernel. A thick, pasty coating can turn hard or chewy instead of crisp.
• Remove the excess loose flour: Shake the coated corn in a sieve before frying. Loose flour can settle at the bottom of the wok and burn.
• Maintain the oil temperature: Fry at 175 to 180°C (347 to 356°F). Oil that is not hot enough makes the corn oily, while overheated oil browns the coating before it becomes crisp.
• Fry in small batches: Large batches lower the oil temperature and can make the kernels stick together.
• Protect yourself from splatters: Use a deep kadai and a splatter screen or lid. Keep your face and hands away from the oil and stir with a long-handled spoon. Never cover the hot oil tightly with the lid.
• Season while hot: The dry spice mixture sticks more evenly to freshly fried crispy corn.
• Use lemon juice sparingly: Too much lemon juice softens the crisp coating. Begin with 1 teaspoon and add more only if needed.
• Serve immediately: Crispy corn gradually loses its crispness after it is seasoned and can turn chewy as it cools.