800 kernels?? Yes, it's corn!!

For sure there is one thing which has a connect with me and these lovley rains - is corn or bhutta. Totally delicious just roasted on charcoal or steamed with minimal seasoning like melted butter or smothered over with lemon, red chilli powder and salt - our bhuttawallah special. Over the years, the yellow variety (American cousin) has taken over our markets but some how this year the markets are flooded with the white variety which I have grown up eating. Delectably sweet and yum. An average ear of corn has 800 kernels, arranged in 16.

There is one piece of silk for each kernel rows. Also known as corn on the cob, sweetcorn is composed of rows of tightly packed golden yellow kernels, growing along a tough central core. When ripe, the kernels are sweet and juicy, and are best cooked simply, with a little butter. Like peas, the natural sugars in the kernels turn to starch quite quickly, which makes the kernels tougher and less sweet, so it should be eaten as fresh as possible. Sweetcorn still in its husk keeps fresher for longer. Look for kernels that are tightly packed, plump, shiny and golden yellow, and smaller at the tip than they are in the middle (this indicates a young cob). The husks should be green, unblemished and fit snugly.

When sweetcorn is really fresh, the kernels will release a milky liquid when cut. Frozen sweetcorn is a good option when sweetcorn's out of season. Sweetcorn is best stored in the fridge, wrapped in damp kitchen paper and with the husks removed. You should consume it within a day or two. There is loads that you can do with corn. Great to toss up a good salad with some boiled corn grooved up with chopped onions, bell peppers, pears, fresh green chillies over crunchy lettuce, sliced tomatoes and just a little drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a dash of olive oil. A spunky healthy salad ready in minutes.

And there's nothing better than my corn soup for this season made freshly in a jiffy in your homes. Enjoy that fresh corn and let's get seasonal.

My 800 corn kernel bisque

Ingredients
2 cups corn kernels
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
1/3 celery, chopped
1/2 a medium-sized potato, diced
1?2 a yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
30 ml white wine
11/2 lt vegetable stock
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
A pinch of white pepper
A pinch of salt
1 tsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp chives, chopped
A few sprigs of thyme, chopped

Method
Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a pan. Sweat off the onions, leeks, celery, potato, yellow bell peppers, corn kernels along with the garlic for five to seven minutes. Deglaze with white wine. Add the vegetable stock and milk. Simmer on a slow flame and cook till all the vegetables are soft. With a slotted spoon, take some of the vegetables out for the garnish. Blend the soup. Add the cream and season to taste. Add the herbs. Serve hot or cold.