Recipes

Sweet Corn Stir-fry with Pine Nut (松仁玉米)

A colorful and healthy Chinese stir-fry combining sweet corn kernels, diced carrot, and bell pepper with crunchy toasted pine nuts. Quick, easy, and naturally sweet.

Servings: 2-3
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced into small cubes
  • ½ (about 50g) bell pepper (red or green), diced
  • 50g (⅓ cup) pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) cooking oil, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch

Notes

  • Use low heat for the pine nuts — they burn very easily. Once they start turning golden brown, remove them immediately
  • Frozen corn kernels can substitute for fresh; thaw and pat dry before cooking
  • The residual heat from the pan continues toasting the pine nuts after the heat is turned off, so remove them a bit early
  • For extra flavor, add a pinch of chicken bouillon powder with the salt
  • Serve as a side dish — it pairs beautifully with steamed rice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the corn: stand each ear of corn upright and cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Dice the carrot and bell pepper into small cubes, roughly the same size as the corn kernels.

  2. Toast the pine nuts: heat a wok or skillet over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the pine nuts. Stir-fry gently, watching carefully — once the pine nuts start turning a darker golden brown (about 1–2 minutes), immediately remove them from the wok and set aside. They will continue toasting from residual heat.

  3. Turn the heat to high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the diced carrot and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the corn kernels and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still vibrant.

  4. In a small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch into a slurry. Season the vegetables with salt and sugar, then pour in the slurry. Stir-fry for another 15–20 seconds until the sauce thickens and glazes the vegetables.

  5. Turn off the heat. Add the toasted pine nuts back to the wok and toss everything together. Serve immediately.