Khao Phot Ping (Grilled Corn with Coconut Cream)
I love elote (Mexican street corn) so much that whenever I'm thinking of a new way to gussy grilled cobs, it always follows the template that dish sets out. I had a whole Thai-influenced version mapped out using spicy Toasted chili powder, lime leaves, coconut, and more until I paused and realized all my dishes I was serving at this particular Meatwave featured a bit of an over-the-top flavor profile and maybe I needed a side that acted as a counter balance instead of an addition to that. That's when I took notice of a grilled corn recipe from the Pok Pok cookbook by Andy Ricker that was much more subdued with merely a salty, pandan infused coconut cream brushed on the corn, and thought that seemed to fit my need best.
This isn't a traditional Thai preparation per se, but one that was unique to a single vendor Mr. Ricker encountered in Thailand. The country is not a place awash with great grilled corn, so that made this dish stand out as something better than the rest. To make the basting liquid, coconut cream is simmered with sugar, salt, and a pandan leaf until the liquid thickens slightly. I tasted the mixture at this point and it was quite salty and the pandan flavor was pretty strong, which made me wonder if I would even like this corn, but Andy's recipes have never led me astray before, so I stayed the course.
The original recipe called for boiling, then grilling the ears of corn, but I've become a fan of the simplest and most direct method—straight shucked corn over high heat. Not only does the corn cook quickly this way, but it also picks up a good deal of charring, enhancing the grilled flavor in a meaningful manner. I've also never had a problem with corn drying out either, so I've had no desire to change my ways ever since I adopted this method.
As the corn grilled, I brushed on the coconut cream mixture multiple times. I didn't keep perfect track of how many times, but I would say each ear got a full brushing at least three times during the ten minutes or so they took to fully cook.
Once done, I merely served them with lime wedges, making them much less effort than my original idea would have been, which would have required dressing the ears in multiple seasonings after grilling. When I dug into a piece, I was a bit surprised with how subdued it tasted knowing how salty that pandan infused coconut cream was on its own. There was just a hint of that distinct pandan in there, and the salty coconut cream really just rended the ears tasting rich and well seasoned. I would say these were more akin to your standard backyard cookout grilled corn, but with just enough difference from the standard salt and butter for people to take notice. While my original idea of super seasoned corn would have definitely been my preferred recipe, I know this preparation was the right choice to fit into the menu at this particular Meatwave and is something worthy of trying out.
