Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Corn, corn, and more corn

Hey friends... really haven't been doing too much experimenting with food lately. However... it's rainy season in Nigeria! Why is this good news folks? Corn (on the cob) that's why. Maize, corn, or whatever you call it, is an excellent option as a side dish... both on or off the cob. It's healthy, and as such fits into any diet, but most importantly, if you are a foodie like me... it tastes delicious.

As you walk or drive around the streets of Lagos. At almost every corner, there has emerged in the last few weeks, a street vendor steaming or roasting (BBQ style) some fresh corn.

After salivating for weeks, and convincing myself that I wouldn't have a single bite until I (or my mom or dad) purchased some fresh corn and I (or my mom) cooked it ourselves at home... my corn dream finally came true about a week ago.

There isn't really much to cooking corn on the cob. Some people like to steam it, which is actually an excellent way of retaining all of its nutrients.... but, sticking to the way it was done by my mom when I was a kid, and... considering that Nigerian corn is a little more tender than corn in the US (an attribute I actually prefer), I like to boil it in salted water. Depending on the quantity and tenderness, it takes about 30-45 minutes, and voila... happy eatings (feel free to rub on some butter/spread before devouring, but for me... I've never really been a fan of buttering my corn).

The batch we cooked last week was gone in a few days. Mostly my fault, I confess. I'd have corn alone for dinner some days (no shame in my game folks!), and so I hooked up another batch today. I enjoyed it so much I was inspired to share my joy with you. Yum all the way!!!!!!!!