玉米烙 Flat Corn Pancake
Pinyin: yù mǐ lào
More corn is grown around the world than any other grain. By producing over 330 million tons of corn a year, the USA is responsible for nearly half of the world’s corn production, while China comes in a distant second at just over 150 million tons. Only a tiny portion of the corn crop goes towards human consumption. Nearly half of the US crop goes towards feeding livestock and almost a quarter is used to produce ethanol.
American settlers started using corn as a staple food in the 1800s and soon after began suffering, in epidemic proportions, to a disease called pellagra which was first identified in 1735. The disease characterized most seriously by skin lesions, sensitivity to sunlight, aggressive behavior, and insomnia is caused by a lack of niacin in the diet.
The relationship between pellagra and corn wasn’t proven until the mid 1920’s when scientists identified that corn is not a source of niacin for humans unless the corn has been processed using nixtamalization. Native Americans did not suffer from pellagra because they discovered that soaking corn in an alkali solution of lime and ash kept people from getting sick, this process later became known as nixtamalization. Today pellagra is still seen in parts of poor regions of the world including Africa, Asia (including parts of China), and other developing areas.
The corn dish above is a popular “junk food” served at many restaurants. The corn is first mixed with starch (cornstarch works) and then placed into a frying pan with a little oil and a little water if necessary. After several minutes the corn is fried into a delicate pancake like shape which is then served with a small amount of sugar and mayonnaise on top.
The dish is sweet, but most of the sweetness is derived from the corn (not the sugar on top). The mayonnaise adds a different texture and a savory flavor that takes this dish from good to great. Unfortunately once this dish cools down the corn gets soft and the dish rapidly loses it’s appeal.
If you find yourself drawn to french fries and enjoy the occasional donut this dish will be a satisfying addition at a meal. It’s great for children since they’ll savor the sweetness and they can eat it with their hands. This isn’t a special dish in either ingredients or style, but it’s another example of how Chinese cuisine has taken something basic and created a unique food that isn’t normally seen in Western cuisine. Experience corn in a new light, and enjoy it.
Feds
2/12/2010
Oh come on! “The mayonnaise adds a different texture and a savory flavor that takes this dish from good to great.” Good sir, I beg to differ. The Chinese have literally hundreds of good dishes, but this is not one of them. Foods that were imported into China relatively late, like peanuts, have been put to great use (Kung Pao Chicken for example). But the way I see it, corn is put to ill use. It’s sprinkled on all kinds of dishes where it shouldn’t be, and half/quarter cobs are sold on the street so you can see people walking around chewing on corn in shopping malls, on buses, etc. But the greatest corn offense of all is 玉米饼, the Flat Corn Pancake.
If it’s hot and you’ve had a couple beers, it’s palatable. But after about one minute on the table the texture and the flavor start to go bad. And the use of mayo? Mayonnaise came to China relatively late, and it shows. Yuck.
Sorry Kung Fu Eats, not a fan of this dish.
Chris
2/12/2010
Well the dish really doesn’t work without the mayonnaise and while it might not exactly be fine dining, I did mention it was junk food after all, it is a good choice for kids.
Bob
2/16/2010
The first comment is quite slanted and negative. First, I beieve corn on the cob is a lot healthier than many snacks eaten in both US and China. Corn pizza is not health food but is a tasty snack. While less healthy than corn on the cob (which I do not smother in butter), it beats potato chips and other similar snacks.
Feds
2/16/2010
Hahha, yes my words were too harsh. Perhaps a symptom of knowing the author and figuring he’d know my tone. But my opinion of the dish remains.
Fair play on corn on the cob being a healthy snack. Chinese people eat a lot of natural things like pistachios, almonds, mandarin oranges, sugar cane, etc. for snacks, which is far better than gummy bears and cheetos. Yet it’s a little disgusting to have someone eating corn on the cob beside you on the subway, and girls who spend an hour doing their hair and makeup only to get corn stuck in their teeth for the rest of the day are really doing themselves a disservice.
On a side note, sweet corn is really hard to find here, and that’s one of the things I miss from home. Often the cobs are boiled in convenience stores or just in a pot on the side of the street for hours. There’s very little taste left at that point. Miss that sweet sweet corn.