Description
Crispy Chilli Babycorn is a popular Indo-Chinese appetizer featuring babycorn coated in a golden, crunchy batter and tossed in a spicy, tangy sauce made with soy, chili, and fresh vegetables. Perfect as a starter or a side dish, this recipe balances crisp texture with bold flavors, making it a delicious vegetarian treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter & Frying
- 250g babycorn (cut into halves lengthwise)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water (or as needed)
- Oil for deep frying
Sauce & Stir-Fry
- 1 tablespoon oil (for stir-frying)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 2–3 green chilies (sliced)
- 1 small onion (sliced)
- 1 small green bell pepper (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry)
- Spring onions (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, ginger-garlic paste, black pepper, red chili powder, and salt. Gradually add water while whisking to form a thick, smooth batter without lumps.
- Coat the babycorn: Toss the babycorn halves in the batter ensuring each piece is evenly coated. This will create the crispy outer layer once fried.
- Deep fry babycorn: Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry babycorn in batches until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare the sauce: In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped garlic, ginger, and sliced green chilies for about 1 minute until aromatic.
- Cook vegetables: Add sliced onion and green bell pepper to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add sauces and sugar: Stir in soy sauce, red chili sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well to combine the flavors.
- Thicken the sauce: Pour in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another minute until the sauce thickens slightly, coating the ingredients nicely.
- Combine babycorn with sauce: Add the fried babycorn to the pan and toss quickly to coat all pieces evenly with the sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from heat, garnish with chopped spring onions, and serve hot as an appetizer or side dish.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, consider double-frying the babycorn by frying them once, draining, and then frying again briefly before tossing in the sauce.
- Adjust the spice level by modifying the amount of red chili sauce or fresh green chilies according to your preference.
- This dish works great as an appetizer or served alongside fried rice or noodles for a hearty meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
