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Ngô nướng
Grilled corn
Ngô nướng: corn roasted over Hanoi street embers and brushed with spring onion oil
When the first cool winds of autumn reach Hanoi, women set up little charcoal braziers along Phan Đình Phùng and around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and turn cobs of corn over the coals late into the evening. Hanoians love the chewy, sticky ngô nếp, but sweetcorn is lovely too. The cobs are brushed at the end with mỡ hành, spring onions wilted in hot oil, which turns smoky and savoury on the charred kernels. Chef's tip: if you find sticky (waxy) corn, boil it for 5 minutes before grilling, as it is firmer than sweetcorn.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cobhusked
- 4 spring onionsthinly sliced
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down to medium-hot embers, or heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat.
10 minStep 2: Put 4 spring onions, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar in a heatproof bowl. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan until shimmering and pour it over; it should sizzle and wilt the onions.
3 minStep 3: Grill 4 corn on the cob for 15–20 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until the kernels are blistered, tender and charred in patches. Common mistake: grilling over fierce flames; the outside blackens before the kernels soften.
18 minStep 4: For the last 2 minutes, brush the cobs generously with the spring onion oil and let it sizzle. Serve hot.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ngô nướng take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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