Cheese Corn Balls are delicious, crispy snack that can be baked or fried, and are perfect to serve with zesty sauces and sides. I share my no-fail recipe with both frying and baking methods.
First steam or boil 1 medium to large corn cob and 1 large potato.
You can steam in a pressure cooker or electric rice cooker or the Instant Pot or a steamer.
In a stovetop pressure cooker, cook both the corn cob and potato for 3 to 4 whistles on medium heat with 1.5 cups water. Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker. Then only open the lid.In an instant pot, steam on high pressure for 15 to 20 whistles with 2 cups water. First add 2 cups water in the steel insert of the Instant Pot. Place a trivet on it. Keep the potato and the corn cob in a steamer basket or pan placed on the trivet . Give a quick pressure release after 5 minutes and open the lid.
Remove the cooked corn cob and potato with the help of tongs. Let the corn cob and the potatoes cool down completely. Do drain them very well after they are cooked. There should be no water or moisture when you start mixing both the corn and the potatoes.
Once cooled, carefully with a knife remove the corn kernels.
Preparing cheese corn mixture
In a pan or bowl, mash the potatoes with a fork. You can choose to grate the potatoes first and later mash them.
Add the scraped corn kernels, grated processed cheese, garlic paste, crushed black pepper or pepper powder and salt as per taste. Remember to add less salt as cheese also has salt.
Then add dried basil, dried oregano and all-purpose flour.
Mix very well. Check the taste and add some more pepper or salt if required.
Make small to medium-sized balls. You can even flatten them a bit if you prefer.
Frying cheese corn balls
Heat oil and check the temperature of the oil by adding a tiny ball made from the corn-cheese mixture. The ball should rise on the surface steadily and gradually.
If the ball comes up slowly, then the oil is not hot enough. If it comes too quickly, the oil is very hot, so reduce the flame.
Slid the corn cheese balls gently into the hot oil. Fry on a medium heat.
When one side turns golden, then turn over with a slotted spoon.
Turn again and a couple of times more to get an even golden color and to ensure that they have fried well.
Remove them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
Fry the remaining cheese balls in the same way.
If baking, then bake at 200 degrees C/392 degrees F in a pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes till golden on top. Bake in a greased tray.
Serve Cheese Corn balls with tomato ketchup or coriander chutney or any chutney or dip of your choice.
Notes
The approximate nutrition info is for 1 cheese corn ball made from this recipe.