Spicy Chilli Baby Corn is a vibrant, flavorful vegetarian appetizer that’s perfect for any occasion. Crispy, golden-fried baby corn is tossed in a bold and tangy sauce that combines heat, sweetness, and rich umami flavors, creating a dish that’s as irresistible as it is colorful. Whether you’re hosting guests or craving a quick snack, this Indo-Chinese favorite is sure to be a hit. Follow our simple, step-by-step recipe with photos and video to recreate this restaurant-style delight right in your kitchen tonight!
- Prep Time: 30minutes mins
- Cook Time: 15minutes mins
- Total Time: 45minutes mins
- Cuisine: Indian, Indo Chinese
- Course: Main Course, Starters
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ingredients for Chilli Baby Corn
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 | |
| ⅓ cup thinly sliced or finely chopped capsicum | |
| 2 teaspoons soy sauce – naturally brewed | |
| 1 teaspoon sweet green chili sauce or sweet red chili 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 |
Preparation for Chilli Baby Corn
1. Preparing the Baby Corn
Start by completely irrigating about 18 to 20 baby sludge pieces, which should weigh roughly 200 grams or roughly 1 mug. Washing them under running water helps to remove any dirt or contamination. Formerly gutted, place the baby sludge in a colander and allow the redundant water to drain. To ensure a crisp texture latterly, gently stroke each piece dry using a clean kitchen kerchief or paper napkin. However, slice them in half lengthwise or transversely to produce bite-sized portions that are easier to cook and enjoy, If the baby sludge pieces are too long. This also helps them absorb flavors more evenly during frying and tossing.
2. Preparing the constituents for the Spicy Chilli Baby Corn Sauce
Before you begin cooking, it’s always a great idea to have all your constituents fixed and ready to go — this makes the cuisine process smoother and more effective. For the scrumptious sauce that will cover the crisp baby sludge, gather and prepare the following
Take 5 to 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, peel them, and finely chop them. The garlic adds a bold, sweet punch to the sauce, so make sure the pieces are small and unevenly diced to mix seamlessly.
Peel a piece of fresh gusto measuring about 1.5 elevation and hash it finely. gusto brings a warm, salty depth to the sauce and dyads beautifully with garlic.
snare one small green capsicum( also known as green bell pepper), remove the seeds, and slice it into thin strips. The capsicum adds crunch and a slightly sweet flavor that balances the heat in the dish.
Take 2 to 3 fresh green chilies, and either slice them into thin rounds or cut them lengthwise, depending on how spice you like. These will give the sauce its characteristic fiery kick.
Incipiently, finely hash about ½ mug of spring onion whites( scallion bulbs). These advance a subtle sharpness and hint of agreeableness, forming the base of the sauce along with garlic and gusto.
Once all these constituents are fixed and ready, you’ll find it much easier to bring the sauce together snappily while keeping the flavors vibrant and balanced.
3. Preparing the Batter for Coating the Baby Corn
In order to achieve that contagious crisp texture on the outside of the baby sludge, it’s important to make a light yet luscious batter for coating. Take a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the following dry ingredients to start 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour( also known as maida) and 4 teaspoons of cornstarch or cornflour. All-purpose flour adds structure and thickness to the batter, giving it a solid base, while cornstarch plays a key role in delivering that light, crispy texture once fried.
Next, season the dry mix by adding ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper to introduce a gentle warmth and subtle depth of flavor. Then, mix in about ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon of salt — feel free to adjust the quantity according to your personal taste. Salt is a crucial ingredient at this point, as it starts building the overall flavor profile of the dish, allowing the baby corn to absorb seasoning right from the coating stage.
4. Blend well to frame a smooth, medium-thick batter.
5. Presently include 6 tablespoons of frying oil in a wok or a profound, huge skillet over medium warm. Work one at a time to plunge each baby corn piece into the batter to completely coat.
Slide the batter-coated baby corn around the edges of the bowl so that abundance batter dribbles back into the bowl.
6. Tenderly put the batter-coated baby corn pieces in the hot oil. Be cautious 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 skillet fry, shallow sear, or profound fry.
7. Utilize an opened fry spoon to delicately turn the pieces over when they are golden.
8. Proceed to turn back and forward as required, until the baby corn pieces are brown on all sides.
9. Evacuate with the opened spoon, permitting the abundance of oil to drain.
10. Set the fricasseed corn on kitchen paper towels. Rehash the frying and prepare with the remaining baby corn pieces.
11. You can utilize the same oil from frying the baby corn to presently sear the aromatics. With a spoon evacuate additional oil from the pan keeping as if 1 tablespoon of oil interior the pan.
Or, if you prefer, pour in 1 unused tablespoon of oil in an unused container. Set the stovetop temperature to medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, include the garlic, ginger, green chiles, and the white parts of the cut spring green onion.
12. Increment the warm to medium-high, and mix sear for 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Presently include the cut capsicum (green bell pepper). If you don’t like or have capsicum, feel free to skip it.
14. Blend and proceed to blend fry for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high warm, until the capsicum is half cooked but still crunchy.
15. Presently diminish the warm back to medium and include 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of either sweet green chili sauce or sweet ruddy chili sauce. You can include more chili sauce for a spicier version.
16. Blend well.
17. Taste, and at that point include ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, ½ to 1 teaspoon of sugar (more or less to taste), and salt as needed.
18. Blend again.
19. Presently include the fried baby corn in the pan.
20. Gently blend, being cautious to not rub the batter from the fried baby corn.
Note that you seem to halt here if you favor a profoundly fresh and crunchy baby corn surface. But if you need a smooth coated sauce coating on the baby corn at that point continue to the taking after steps.
21. Presently include 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and blend again.
22. At that point sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (cornflour). This gives a beautiful, smooth coat to the dish – fair like at your favorite Indo-Chinese restaurants.
23. Blend well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or fair until the cornstarch (cornflour) has cooked and is no longer visible.
24. Blend in ½ a teaspoon of rice vinegar for a marginally tart flavor that brings the entire chili baby corn recipe together. You can too utilize apple cider vinegar in put of rice vinegar. If you are not a fan of the tart vinegar taste at that point skip it.
25. Finally, include the cut green onion tops, and blend again.
26. Serve hot as an appetizer or a side with your favorite Chinese primary dishes. You can eat chili baby corn as it is or with a hot plunging sauce like chili-garlic sauce, schezwan sauce, sriracha sauce, and indeed plain basic tomato ketchup.
Garnish with an additional sprinkle of the cut green onions.
Nutrition Info of Chilli Baby Corn (Approximate Values)
Nutrition Facts
Chilli Baby Corn
Amount Per Serving
Calories 464Calories 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.