Everything and nothing corny about corn

From viral kids to cursing cats, corn is the kind of ingredient that inspires greatness.

Sufferin' succotash, corn is $%#&^ goooooood. Credit: Jiwon Kim

--- The Cook Up with Adam Liaw airs weeknights at 7pm on SBS Food (Ch.33). All episodes are available anytime on SBS On Demand. ---

"Not everyone has to like corn, but everyone has to try it." That's according to Tariq, the cute-as kid who went viral in late 2022 for his intense love of all things corn.

"I can't imagine a more beautiful thing," Tariq coos in his YouTube interview with Recess Therapy. An interview that now has 11 million views and still counting. "When I tried it with butter, everything changed!"

We hear you, young Tariq, we hear you!

What this cheery boy may not know, however, is that it's not just corn's flavour and "lumps" that make it so amazing. Corn is full of insoluble fibre, low-GI and loaded with essential minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron. It's also brimming with B-vitamins (no wonder Tariq is buzzing with energy).

Not to mention corn's remarkable versatility. You can steam it, boil it, roast it and barbecue it. And it pops, for goodness sake. POPS!

If a cute kid and corn's fascinating nutrition panel haven't already sold you on its superlative nature, maybe one of these recipes will. At the very least, each will guarantee you have a corntastic day.

Corn fritters with pico de gallo and feta

Achieving the perfect corn fritter hinges on nailing the batter consistency. Credit: Jiwon Kim

Oh for the love of a good corn fritter. The perfect balance of crispy outer with fluffy inner and just enough corn kernels to add some bite. This version is topped with feta and a tomato salsa, which perfectly match corn's big-flavoured magic.

Bacon and sweetcorn fritters

Serve these crowd-pleasers up for brunch. Credit: Kitti Gould

The only thing that could beat a pico di gallo corn fritter would be... a bacon corn fritter. 'Nuff said.

Sweet corn soup

A bowl full of Tariq-style energy. Credit: Jiwon Kim

Bringing things back to simple, you can't beat corn soup. This one is infused with Japanese flavours like kombu, ginger and nori. It's as nourishing as that sounds, too.

Corn miso ramen

A surprisingly quick-to-make ramen where corn punches up a concentrated miso seasoning base. Credit: Kitti Gould

Another Japanese dish where corn adds bite and interest. Corn has a 'whole' mouth feel that can really up the satisfaction of many vegetarian dishes.

Soffrito corn with seared scallops

Soffrito corn with seared scallops Credit: Kitti Gould

It's not often you find corn in a sauce, and that's a shame. As this soffrito proves, it's a fine way to add boldness to a dish without overpowering more gentle ingredients.

Corn cheese

Sweet corn kernels covered in stretchy cheese washed down with cold beer. What’s not to love? Credit: Billy Law

This recipe doesn't beat around the bush. Instead, it puts the two best ingredients together and leaves you to it. Of course, there's a bit more to making konchijeu than melting cheese on top of corn, but fortunately not much.

Cheese and corn quesadillas

Corn loves mayonnaise almost as much as it loves cheese. Credit: Jiwon Kim

Staying with the cheese and corn theme, here's tomorrow's 5-minute lunch. A kick of jalapeno, a hit of creamy mayo and a squeeze of mouth-puckering lime mean instant mouth-dance party. Exactly what we're all looking for in a weekday lunch.

Corn in coconut sauce

With its Arabic and Indian influences, mahindi ya naz is typical of the Swahili coast. Credit: China Squirrel

Butter isn't the only condiment that makes corn sing. Cooking it in a simple coconut sauce means it will really hit the high notes.

Cornbread

A skillet of cornbread made with buttermilk and polenta is a skillet of happiness. Credit: Alan Benson

Cornbread baked in a cast-iron pan is an accessible way to begin a bread-making habit. There's no fussy yeast or sourdough requirements, just the three Bs: bicarb, baking powder and buttermilk.

Chicken and corn dumplings

Chicken and corn anything is good, but dumplings are everything. Credit: Kitti Gould

This dumplings recipe takes advantage of yet another perfect corn partnership. If you thought the cheese-corn combo above was mind-altering, prepare to have it fully blown. Actually, by this stage, it's pretty obvious that corn has a blast with everything.

Cajun corn

"I love corn and red capsicum and with the Cajun spices it's my kind of comfort food," says Adam Liaw. Credit: Adam Liaw

Corn isn't a typically 'big' flavour, but it can somehow hold its own when bold spices are added. This corn (and all kinds of Cajun and Mexican dishes) is a case in point - it's loaded with seasoning and chilli but somehow the corn shines through.

Eggplant ragu with corn

Blitz cooked corn in a food processor to create a creamy base. Credit: Kitti Gould

While technically a veggie, corn will happily stand in for any grain. Here it takes the place of polenta to up the nutrition chops of a silky vegetarian eggplant ragu.

Edamame succotash

Succotash is traditionally served with broad beans, but this edamame bean version adapts the American classic to add pops of sweetness and texture. Credit: Jiwon Kim

"Sufferin' succotash", this dish is tasty! It's a traditional Native American corn side dish that's so good it inspired a cartoon cat expletive! Corn can't help but be iconic - just ask Tariq!