Here’s a recipe for an Indo Chinese favorite – Crispy Babycorn Chilli. Golden, deep-fried baby corn meets a spicy and tangy onion capsicum stir fry sauce and the taste is nothing short of addictive. This is such a versatile recipe – the baby corn can be replaced with paneer, mushroom, or even chicken.
I think the only way to eat baby corn is to deep fry it. And then toss the crispy bits with Chinese sauces and veggies. You see where I’m going with this?
Babycorn Chilli is a popular starter at parties and I hate that it starts to go limp and soggy by the time it reaches the table. Plus I never get my fill.
Love Indian Chinese? Try Gobi Manchurian, Chicken Chow Mein, American Chopsuey, Honey Chilli Potatoes, Chilli Paneer, Egg Fried Rice and so much more!
With this recipe, you can make addictive crispy baby corn at home so you can enjoy as many pieces as you’d like, piping hot. Sounds like a win to me!
It’s a perfect crowd pleasing starter or evening snack on a rainy day. This recipe doesn’t require many ingredients or a lot of chopping so it’s not much of an effort to prepare at all.
Ingredients You Need for Babycorn Chilli
You’ll need lots of baby corn for this recipe, cut into strips. And I say lots because these disappear quick!
For the crispy coating:
- All Purpose Flour
- Corn Flour
- Rice Flour
After lots of tests, I’ve found that this is the golden trio for coating and frying, and I mean that literally! All purpose flour coats the baby corn well, the corn flour helps us get that golden, coating and rice flour keeps the breading light and crispy.
For the stir-fry sauce:
- Soy Sauce: for the deep color and saltiness that it adds
- Vinegar: to balance out the savouriness
- Red Chili Sauce: to add some heat
- Tomato Ketchup: for a hint of sweetness that goes a long way
- Corn Flour: to thicken the sauce
- Coriander Leaves: a bit unconventional, but the fresh flavor works so well with crisp baby corn, use this as a garnish!
How to make Chilli Babycorn
Here’s a detailed step by step to make Chilli Babycorn at home
1. Add all purpose flour, corn flour, rice flour, chilli powder, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to a bowl
2. Add water as you mix to make a thick, runny batter
3. Toss all the baby corn in it till the batter coats each piece of baby corn
4. Deep fry the baby corn in hot oil on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes till the baby corn is a deep, golden brown outside and fried crispy. Increase the heat in the last 1 minute while frying to make the coating extra crispy
5. Heat a wok or kadhai till smoking hot. Saute ginger, garlic and green chillies in hot oil for 30-40 secs
6. Add onions and capsicum and stir fry for another minute
7. Add babycorn and toss well
8. Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce
9. Pour the sauce over the baby corn and toss immediately till the sauce thickens and looks glossy. It should coat the baby corn well
11. Top with chopped coriander and serve hot
This dish would be a perfect starter for an Indo-Chinese themed dinner menu. Start off with this baby corn for your vegetarian appetizer and you can make my easy Chili Chicken recipe for a non vegetarian starter. It’s not an Indo-Chinese dinner without some Veg Manchurian, spicy Hakka Noodles and some Egg Fried Rice that’ll have you and your guests reaching for seconds! That’s a dinner party I’d want to be invited to, for sure!
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Crispy Chilli Babycorn
If you love babycorn, this recipe is just for you. Crispy, deep fried baby corn is tossed with aromatics, onions, capsicum and Chinese sauces to create a fantastic Indo Chinese appetizer.
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Servings: 4 people
Calories: 233kcal
Instructions
For Frying
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Combine all purpose flour, rice flour, corn flour, chilli powder, soy sauce, salt, pepper and water in a bowl. Whisk to make a smooth batter.
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Add baby corn and mix well. Use your hands to mix this to ensure the baby corn is evenly coated with batter
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Heat oil in a deep pan or kadhai. Once hot, add the batter coated baby corn one by one. Fry for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame. Turn the flame to high in the end and fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
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Use a skimmer to carefully remove the baby corn from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel or tissue paper. Keep aside.
Stir Fry
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Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, red chilli sauce, corn flour and water in a bowl. Keep aside.
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Heat oil in a wok or kadai till smoking hot. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and saute till fragrant, about 30-40 seconds. Add onion and capsicum and saute for 1 – 2 minutes. Remember to stir constantly.
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Add the fried baby corn and toss to combine.
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Add the sauce mix we made earlier on medium heat and stir continuously. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Cook till the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes and becomes glossy.
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Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot!
Notes
- Deep Frying: To ensure the baby corn cooks from inside, deep fry on a medium flame. Then increase the flame right in the end for a minute or two to get the outer coating really crispy
- Substitutes: Sub babycorn with the same quantity of mushrooms, cauliflower, paneer chicken (increase to 250 grams) or prawns for variations to this recipe
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1272mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
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