Name: Cheese Corn Balls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Sweet Corn Kernels, boiled and pulsed coarsely in mixer; ⅓ cup Cheese, grated; ⅓ cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated, for the cheese pull; 1⅓ Potato, medium, boiled, cold, and grated; ⅔ tsp Garlic, finely minced; ⅔ Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; ⅓ tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly cracked; ⅔ tsp Mixed Herbs, or dried oregano; ⅔ cup Breadcrumbs, divided (some for binding, rest for coating); 1⅓ tbsp Corn Flour, mixed with water for slurry; ⅓ tsp Salt, careful, cheese is salty; ⅔ tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped; as needed Cooking Oil, for deep frying

55 mintotal

35 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Make the mixture: in a large bowl, combine the chilled grated potatoes, the roughly pulsed sweet corn, the sharp processed cheese, the mozzarella, the crushed garlic, finely chopped green chilli and fresh coriander.
Season with freshly cracked black pepper, dried mixed herbs and a light hand with the salt, since the cheese is already salty. Fold it through gently.
Add some of the breadcrumbs to bind the mixture. Knead very lightly to form a stable dough. Work quickly: the warmth of your hands will start melting the cheese, and the balls will not hold their shape.
Take small, even portions of the dough and roll them into smooth balls. Any cracks, however small, will let the cheese leak out while frying.
Dip each ball completely in the thin cornflour slurry, shaking off the excess so they do not clump together.
Instantaneously drop the hydrated sphere into the dry breadcrumb staging area. Apply firm, compressive force to bond the crumbs, forging an impenetrable, heavy outer crust.
Mandate an absolute refrigeration lockdown of the armored units for 15-20 minutes. This critical thermal drop resolidifies the dairy lipids, acting as a final safeguard against explosive ruptures in the boiling oil.
15–20 min
Heat frying oil to medium-high in a heavy kadhai. If the oil is not hot enough the balls will soak it up.
Lower a small batch of the chilled balls into the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, watching them closely and stirring very gently, until the outside is deep golden brown and crisp.
2–3 min
Lift them out promptly, before the cheese bursts through. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

A firm, audibly crisp breadcrumb shell that snaps open onto a flood of molten cheese and sweet corn.

Getting it right

Tip

The two cheeses do different jobs: processed cheese carries the savoury flavour, mozzarella gives you the stretch. Do not skip chilling the balls before frying. Cheese balls that go into hot oil at room temperature end up hollow, because the cheese melts out into the fryer.

What to serve it with

A reliable hit at a teenagers' party. Serve them steaming hot with a sweet chilli sauce or a thick mayonnaise dip.

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Ingredients