Chilli Baby Corn

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Crunchy, crispy, and wonderfully flavorful Chilli baby corn is a delicious vegetarian snack or appetizer, everyone will love. Fried pieces of baby corn are combined with a spicy, sweet, umami sauce for a bright and bold dish you’ll want to make again and again! Follow our easy steps with photos and video to make this classic fried chilli baby corn recipe tonight.

chilli baby corn garnished with spring onion greens in a dark brown ceramic bowl with bamboo chopsticks on right side on a dark brown bamboo mat

Fried chilli baby corn is a common Indo Chinese fusion side and snack. It features sweet and tender pieces of baby corn, battered and fried to crispy perfection. The corn is then tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce for a delightfully flavorful, crunchy, and saucy veggie dish.

The sauce for this recipe is so good. You’ll seriously want to eat this bold, sweet and spicy chilli baby corn with nearly everything!

The texture and taste of this chilli baby corn is similar to a Tso’s tofu you might find in some Chinese restaurant menu. This is one more vegan and vegetarian friendly snack, with an even spicier and bright flavor, like this Chilli Mushroom recipe.

Below you’ll find my step-by-step photos and instructions for preparing the best chilli baby corn from scratch. I shallow fry the corn here; however, you are welcome to deep fry the battered corn pieces if you prefer.

Make a batch as an appetizer, side dish with Veg Fried Rice, Noodles or just as a hearty snack. However you choose to fry and serve, I am sure you will love this satisfying chilli baby corn!

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Chilli Baby Corn

Preparation

1. First, rinse the 18 to 20 baby corn or 200 grams (about 1 cup) in water. Then drain and pat them dry. If they are long pieces of baby corn, cut them in half.

chopped baby corn on a wooden board

2. I recommend that you next prepare all of the ingredients for making the fried chilli baby corn sauce:

  • Finely chop 5 to 6 medium sized garlic cloves
  • Peel and chop 1.5 inches of ginger
  • Seed and thinly slice 1 small capsicum (green bell pepper)
  • Slice or slit 2 to 3 green chillies
  • Chop ½ cup of spring onion whites (scallion whites)
chopped aromatics and capsicum on a white board

Making Batter

3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine 4 tablespoons of all purpose flour, 4 tablespoons of cornstarch (cornflour), ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon of salt or add as per taste, and 4 tablespoons of water.

batter ingredients in a bowl

4. Mix well to form a smooth, medium-thick batter.

medium thick batter in a bowl

Batter Coating and Frying Baby Corn

5. Now add 6 tablespoons of frying oil in a wok or deep, large pan over medium heat. Work one at a time to dip each baby corn piece into the batter to thoroughly coat.

Slide the batter-coated baby corn around the edges of the bowl so that excess batter drips back into the bowl. 

baby corn on top of the batter

6. Gently place the batter-coated baby corn pieces in the hot oil. Be careful during this step as the oil can splatter.

Note that in the video I have pan fried the baby corn in less oil. You can either pan fry, shallow fry or deep fry.

batter-coated baby corn pieces in hot oil

7. Use a slotted fry spoon to gently turn the pieces over when they become golden.

frying baby corn pieces in hot oil

8. Continue to turn back and forth as needed, until the baby corn pieces are brown on all sides.

frying baby corn pieces in hot oil

9. Remove with the slotted spoon, allowing the excess oil to drain.

fried baby corn pieces removed with slotted spoon

10. Set the fried corn on kitchen paper towels. Repeat the frying process with the remaining baby corn pieces.

fried baby corn pieces on kitchen paper towel

Stir Frying Aromatics

11. You can use the same oil from frying the baby corn to now fry the aromatics. With a spoon remove extra oil from the pan keeping only 1 tablespoon oil inside the pan.

Or, if you prefer, pour in 1 new tablespoon of oil in a new pan. Set the stovetop temperature to medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger, green chiles, and the white parts of the sliced spring green onion.

aromatics in a wok

12. Increase the heat to medium-high, and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

stir frying aromatics in a wok

13. Now add the sliced capsicum (green bell pepper). If you don’t like or have capsicum, feel free to skip.

capsicum added in wok

14. Mix and continue to stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high heat, until the capsicum is half cooked but still crunchy.

capsicum stir fried in wok

Adding Sauces & Seasonings

15. Now reduce the heat back to medium and add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of either sweet green chili sauce or sweet red chilli sauce. You can add more chilli sauce for a spicier version.

sauces added in wok

16. Mix well.

sauces mixed

17. Taste, and then add ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, ½ to 1 teaspoon of sugar (more or less to taste), and salt as needed.

seasonings added in wok

18. Mix again.

seasonings mixed with the stir fried aromatics

Making Chilli Baby Corn

19. Now add the fried baby corn to the pan.

fried baby corn in the wok

20. Gently mix together, being careful to not scrape the batter from the fried baby corn.

Note that you could stop here if you prefer a highly crispy and crunchy baby corn texture. But if you want a smooth glazed sauce coating on the baby corn then proceed to the following steps.

baby corn mixed with the sauce

21. Now add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and mix again.

water being added

22. Then sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (cornflour). This gives a lovely, smooth glaze to the dish – just like at your favorite Indo Chinese restaurants.

cornstarch sprinkled over baby corn

23. Mix well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the cornstarch (cornflour) has cooked and is no longer visible.

corn starch mixed with baby corn

24. Mix in ½ a teaspoon of rice vinegar for a slightly tangy flavor that brings the whole chilli baby corn recipe together. You can also use apple cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar. If you are not a fan of the tangy vinegar taste then skip it.

rice vinegar being added

25. Lastly, add the sliced green onion tops, and stir again.

chopped spring onion greens on chilli baby corn

26. Serve hot as an appetizer or a side with your favorite Chinese main dishes. You can eat chilli baby corn as it is or with a spicy dipping sauce like chilli-garlic sauce, schezwan sauce, sriracha sauce and even a plain simple tomato ketchup.

Garnish with an extra sprinkle of the sliced green onions.

chilli baby corn garnished with spring onion greens in a dark brown ceramic bowl with bamboo chopsticks on left side on a dark brown bamboo mat

Few more snacks recipes for you!

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chilli baby corn garnished with spring onion greens in a dark brown ceramic bowl

Chilli Baby Corn

Chilli baby corn recipe is a delicious vegetarian, vegan snack or starter recipe of crispy fried baby corn in a spicy, sweet, umami sauce for a bright and bold dish that everyone will love.
4.66 from 26 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine Indian, Indo Chinese
Course Main Course, Starters
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

For Frying

  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt or add as per taste
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 18 to 20 baby corn – 200 grams
  • 6 tablespoons oil – for frying

For Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ cup chopped spring onion whites (scallion whites)
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic or 5 to 6 medium sized garlic
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger or 1 to 1.5 inches ginger
  • 2 to 3 green chilies – slit or sliced
  • cup thinly sliced or finely chopped capsicum
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce – naturally brewed
  • 1 teaspoon sweet green chili sauce or sweet red chilli sauce, add as per taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as required
  • salt as required
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water – optional
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour) – optional

For Garnish

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion greens (scallion greens)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons spring onion greens

Instructions
 

Making batter

  • Rinse and dry the baby corn with kitchen towel. Chop the baby corn in halves if they are larger in size or keep them whole if they are smaller.
  • Prep the spring onions, garlic, green chillies, ginger, capsicum and set aside.
  • Make a smooth and medium thick batter with the cornstarch (cornflour), all purpose flour, salt, pepper and water.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan.
  • Dip each baby corn piece in the batter and coat it well with the batter.
  • Gently place the batter coated baby corn pieces in the hot oil.
  • When one side firms up and is crispy, light golden, turn over and fry the second side.
  • Fry the baby corn till the edges and sides are golden brown turning over a couple of times with a slotted spoon
  • Place the fried baby corn on kitchen paper towels.

Making sauce

  • In another pan or frying pan or wok, heat about 1 tablespoon oil. Or you could use the same pan that was used for frying the baby corn – keeping 1 tablespoon oil in it, remove the remaining oil with a spoon.
  • Add chopped spring onions, ginger, garlic and slit green chilies.
  • Stir fry on a medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Now add the sliced capsicum (green bell pepper). If you do not have capsicum, you can skip it
  • Stir-fry on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the capsicum is half cooked. It should have some crunch.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the soy sauce, sweet green chilli sauce or sweet red chilli sauce. Mix well.
  • Now sprinkle black pepper powder, salt and sugar. Mix again.

Making Chilli Baby Corn

  • Add the fried baby corn. Gently mix with the rest of the ingredients. You could stop here if you prefer a highly crispy and crunchy baby corn texture. But if you want a smooth glazed sauce coating on the baby corn then proceed to the following steps.
  • Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and mix again.
  • To give a glaze and smoothness in the dish, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (cornflour). 
  • Mix well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or more till the cornstarch has cooked.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar and stir again.
  • Lastly add the chopped green springs greens and give a mix.
  • Check the taste and add salt, pepper or soy sauce if required.
  • Serve the baby corn garnished with some spring onion greens or chopped celery.
  • You can serve chilli baby corn as a starter snack or with bread or as a side with stir fried noodles or fried rice.

Video

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Chilli Baby Corn
Amount Per Serving
Calories 464 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Fat 34g52%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 28g
Sodium 929mg40%
Potassium 269mg8%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 445IU9%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg10%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Vitamin E 14mg93%
Vitamin K 47µg45%
Calcium 28mg3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 50µg13%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 29mg7%
Phosphorus 84mg8%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Chilli Baby Corn recipe post from the archives (May 2013) has been republished and updated on 2 June 2021.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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61 Comments

  1. Hi Dassana,
    I tried this yesterday along with two other recipes from your blog ( mushroom biryani and oats dosa). All of these turned out to be yummy .. Dosa was super hit. I’m a big fan of Rawa dosa, but never dared to attempt at home. Your post inspired me to give a try and it was really good.
    Sincere thanks for all your recipes, for inspiration they provide5 stars

    1. thank you nagamani for the positive reviews on all the recipes you have tried. so glad to read them. thanks again.
      p.s. you have such a nice name.

  2. Can we bake the babycorn instead of panfrying? Also same query for Manchurian balls… Thanks.

    Am a huge fan of your website..hv religiously followed ur recipes since I started cooking.. My go to blog for everything!

    1. yes you can bake both babycorn and manchurian balls. thanks jyotsna for this lovely feedback. happy cooking.

    1. we do not share non vegetarian recipes. vegrecipesofindia is a vegetarian site and hence we do not make nor share non veg recipes.

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