People often ask me what I remember about my life in Vietnam. I always respond that my memory is filled with photographic images of people and places, but because I was only six years old when we fled, I had not yet experienced enough of life to have fuller pictures. However, one of my most vivid memories is of our cook, Older Sister Thien, squatting and fanning the small charcoal brazier on which she grilled corn on the cob. As the corn cooked to a charred chewy sweetness, she brushed on scallion oil made with home-rendered lard. The aroma and taste were heavenly. Here is my updated version with regular cooking oil. With so many varieties of corn available in summertime, you should have no trouble finding the sweetest one for grilling. This is traditionally a snack food, but it is also a wonderful addition to an Eastern or Western barbecue. Parboiling the ears before grilling ensures that the corn is evenly cooked and the grill work is fast.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a rolling boil. Plunge the corn into the water and parboil for 4 minutes. Remove the corn and set aside. If the pot isn’t big enough to accommodate all the ears at once, parboil them in batches. (The corn may be parboiled several hours in advance, cooled, covered, and kept at room temperature.)
Step 2
Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire (you can hold your hand over the rack for only 3 to 4 seconds) or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Lay the ears on the grill rack and grill, rolling them often, for about 5 minutes total, or until they are marked by rich brown areas on all sides. There is no need to brown the entire ear.
Step 3
Brush some scallion oil on top of each ear, and then roll that side down to face the flames. Let cook for 30 seconds to develop the flavors. You want some of the scallion bits to stick to the kernels, though a fair amount will fall off. Now brush the second side of each ear and again turn to cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the corn to a serving plate and garnish with any left over scallion oil. Sprinkle lightly with the salt and serve.
