Taiwanese Street Corn
I’m excited to share this riff on Mexican street corn using iconic savory-sweet Taiwanese flavors. This is the perfect addition to any barbecue or weeknight grill out and it’s a definite crowd pleaser. The marinade is based on a popular Taiwanese dish San Bei Ji, which is made by cooking chicken with sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine. The flavor is insane and the Panko topping adds the perfect balance of crunch and cilantro freshness. I like to leave the husks on for that authentic grill out vibe and it gives you a little something to hold onto while you are eating the corn. The last minute heating of the sauce and wilted Thai basil is classic to San Bei Ji and pouring it over the corn ensures every bite is packed with a flavor punch. This recipe is easy to double or quadruple given your party size and I’ll tell you the corn goes fast, so I would plan to make extra!
TAIWANESE STREET CORN
ingredients
4 ears of corn, cleaned, and husk pulled back
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
4 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped, and additional cilantro for garnish
4-5 sprigs of Thai basil, stems removed
4-6 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbsp sesame oil
3-4 dried chili, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
STEPS
Start by preparing the marinade. Combine the garlic, sesame oil, dried chili, Shaoxing wine, dark and light soy sauce, and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Toast the Panko bread crumbs in a small skillet. Toss in the chopped cilantro and season with salt and sesame oil to preference. Once the bread crumbs are browned, remove from heat and set aside.
After prepping the corn, quickly rinse the husks with water. This will help prevent the husks from catching fire on the grill and leave you with a beautiful char.
Grill the corn and using a pastry brush, brush on the marinade to each side of the corn. Rotating and applying the marinade each time to allow it to soak into the corn and slowly brown. The sugars in the marinade will char the corn making it look more burnt than it really is. Set aside half of the marinade.
Once the corn is cooked, take it off the grill and set aside.
In a small skillet or saucepan, heat the remaining marinade until it begins to simmer. Toss in the Thai basil and heat until slightly wilted. Take the sauce off the heat.
Plate the corn and pour the basil sauce over the corn and top with the Panko and cilantro bread crumbs. Finish with the fresh cilantro garnish and serve immediately.
