Oct 1, 2023
One of the jewels of the Auberge Mauna Lani on the Big Island of Hawaii is Canoe House. An iconic restaurant first helmed by one of the legendary founders of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, Alan Wong. While we were visiting, Chef Matt Raso was in the kitchen and Yuka, his beautiful wife, was greeting the guests. Matt revels in the local seafood and ingredients from the nearby farms, offering Japanese-inspired dishes, and he and Yuka were kind enough to share the magic ingredients Matt put together to create our favorite corn ribs.
Yuzu juice, soy sauce, and truffle oil are the main ingredients—the yuzu juice provides a bright citrusy note, the soy sauce adds saltiness and umami, while the truffle oil adds a luxurious earthy flavor to this simple farm-fresh vegetable. The Japanese 7 spice will bring some heat and complexity to the sauce, creating a deliciously balanced dish.
While most recipes suggest you roll corn ribs in their rub or sauce before cooking them, chef Matt does this in reverse. He fries the ribs then rolls them in the sauce. Of course, you can oven-bake your corn ribs or use the air fryer, in which case you would season them beforehand.
In my home, we love serving these corn ribs with cocktails as an elevated hors d’oeuvre, and we serve them as a side, with a drizzle of chili mayonnaise overtop. They pair so well with a simply grilled lemongrass snapper, citrusy poached salmon, or grilled lobster.
Taste the sauce and adjust the flavors if necessary to achieve the desired balance for your Yuzu Corn Ribs. If you like it on the spicy side, add more 7 spice, and consider serving with lemon or lime slices to cool the heat for those who have less tolerance for spice.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Yield: (16 corn ribs) serves 8 for cocktails, 4 as a side
2 tablespoons Yuzu juice
1 1/2 tablespoon soy, more to taste
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1 teaspoon Japanese 7 spice
½ cup grapeseed oil, more as needed
4 whole corn cobs, halved, and then quartered (to create ribs)
1 tablespoon chili mayonnaise, optional, garnish, or dip
½ sliced lime, optional garnish
3 sprigs parsley, optional garnish
Mix the Yuzu juice, soy, truffle oil, and Japanese 7 spice to create the sauce and set aside.
Add ½-inch cooking oil to a wide, thick-bottomed pan or wok, over medium-high heat.
When the oil begins to smoke, add the corn ribs, occasionally turning until the ribs are crispy, golden, and curled up, about 7 minutes.
Remove the corn ribs from the oil and lay them on kitchen paper to drain.
Roll the riblets in the sauce, covering them completely, and serve immediately.
Garnish with a drizzle of chili mayonnaise, or parsley and lime slices.
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