Corn Cheese
Corn cheese was born in South Korea's beer halls, where it became one of the most-ordered anju (drinking snacks) alongside a cold beer, right up there with fried chicken and spicy tofu. The unlikely combination — American sweet corn, Japanese-style mayonnaise and Western cheddar, melted together in a cast-iron skillet — reflects how Korean bar food absorbed foreign ingredients and reshaped them to local taste. The secret lies in the balance of sweet and savoury: the added sugar, even though the corn is already sweet, sharpens the contrast against the salty melted cheese, while the mayonnaise binds everything into a creamy layer without overpowering the flavour. Served straight from the cast-iron skillet, still sizzling, corn cheese is eaten spoonful by spoonful, pulled into long strings of mozzarella — a simple dish that's almost impossible to stop eating.
Small cast-iron skillet
Arrives at the table still sizzling
Sweet corn with mayonnaise
A surprisingly good binder
Melted mozzarella on top
Pulls into long strings with every spoonful
Classic beer-hall side
A staple at Korean pubs
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500 g sweet corn kernels, frozen or canned, drained
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 100 g shredded mozzarella
- 30 g shredded cheddar
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced, to garnish
- Black pepper, to taste
How to make it
- 1HEAT THE OVEN: preheat the broiler or the top grill setting, with the rack about 15 cm from the heat source.
- 2MELT THE BUTTER: set a small cast-iron skillet (or any oven-safe pan) over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt without browning.
- 3WARM THE CORN: add the drained corn to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, just until heated through and lightly coloured in spots.
- 4BIND WITH MAYONNAISE: take the skillet off the heat, stir the corn together with the mayonnaise, sugar and salt until it forms an even, creamy layer.
- 5COVER WITH CHEESE: scatter the mozzarella and cheddar over the corn in a thick, even layer that covers the whole surface.
- 6BROIL UNTIL BUBBLING: place the skillet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese melts completely, bubbles and turns golden in spots.
- 7SERVE HOT: carefully remove the skillet from the oven (the handle will be hot), scatter over the sliced spring onion and black pepper, then serve at once, straight from the skillet while the cheese still pulls into strings.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
