Japanese Butter Corn Sauté (Printable View)

Sweet corn sautéed in garlic butter with soy sauce for a simple, flavorful Japanese side.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 ears fresh corn, husked (or 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed)

→ Dairy

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Aromatics

03 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

→ Seasonings

04 - 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
05 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - Pinch of sea salt (optional)

→ Garnish

07 - 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
08 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - If using fresh corn, carefully cut the kernels from the cob using a sharp knife.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter until it becomes foamy.
03 - Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.
04 - Add the corn kernels to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through and lightly golden.
05 - Pour in the soy sauce and stir well to coat the corn evenly; cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates.
06 - Season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sea salt to taste.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in twenty minutes but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • The garlic butter and soy sauce combination works magic on even frozen corn from your freezer.
  • It's the kind of side dish that people ask for the recipe of, then realize they already have everything at home.
02 -
  • Temperature control is everything—medium heat prevents burning the garlic while still building color on the corn kernels.
  • Fresh corn is sweeter, but frozen corn actually works better here because it has less moisture and browns more readily.
  • Soy sauce needs to reduce slightly so it clings to the corn instead of pooling in a salty puddle at the bottom of the pan.
03 -
  • Use a wooden spoon instead of metal so you can feel the corn texture developing without the sound of metal scraping metal.
  • If your pan is too crowded, the corn steams instead of browns, so work in batches if you're doubling the recipe.
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