Baby Corn

Baby corn is not a separate sweetcorn variety but actually just the very young cobs produced by certain cultivars. These are grown primarily in China, Central America and south east Asia. The plants have male and female flowers and the wind pollinated female flowers form the cob, where every grain is a seed. These are usually yellow in colour, although originally sweetcorn was blue. The mini cobs have to be picked early and very quickly as they grow rapidly into full sized cobs. When picked they are usually only 4.5cm - 10cm in length. This size cob from an ordinary plant would be inedible.
Baby corn, which contains vitamin A, C and folate, is sold stripped of it protective leafy covering and the tassels that are frequently left on fully grown cobs. Baby corn is used heavily in Asian cuisine, and can be eaten whole either raw or cooked.