Healthier choice recipe: Roasted corn dip

Healthier choice recipe: Roasted corn dip

A snack of sweet corn kernels usually comes smothered in butter.

This can be made less fattening - but no less flavourful - by replacing butter with low-fat yogurt.

Low-fat yogurt contains less fat, especially saturated fat, than butter.

After being consumed, saturated fat is converted into low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly called "bad" cholesterol, in the bloodstream. This is then distributed through the bloodstream to tissues to produce hormones.

However, excess LDL cholesterol is deposited on artery walls, narrowing the arteries and raising the risk of developing heart disease and strokes.

The sweet corn kernels can be seared without adding any oil, which means no extra fat is loaded on the dish.

Mr Yen Koh, the regional executive chef at the food solutions department of Unilever Singapore, has created such a healthier sweet corn dish with the help of the Health Promotion Board (HPB).

His roasted corn dip is among 150 healthy dishes that the HPB and several chefs came up with, either by adapting existing recipes or developing from scratch.

Mr Koh said: "This is a dish full of fibre and the aroma of the herbs, which I love. You can make this a day in advance and serve it chilled as a main or side dish."

Recipe

Roasted corn dip (Serves four)

Ingredients

280g sweet corn kernels

120g plain low-fat yogurt

160g cucumber, diced

80g onion, diced

80g tomatoes, diced

20g cherry tomatoes, red or yellow

30g coriander leaves, chopped

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper, crushed

3 tsp fresh basil, sliced

Method

Quickly sear 240g sweet corn kernels in a hot pan until they caramelise. Leave them to cool.

Using a hand blender, process the plain low-fat yogurt and the remaining 40g of sweet corn kernels to make the dressing.

In a clean bowl, add all the cut ingredients, the roasted sweet corn kernels and the dressing.

Toss all the ingredients together lightly until they are well mixed.

Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper and leave it overnight in the refrigerator to chill.

Before serving, garnish the mixture with fresh basil.

Nutritional Information

(Per serving)

Energy: 85 calories

Protein: 4.1g

Total fat: 1.4g

Saturated fat: 0.3g

Cholesterol: 1.8mg

Carbohydrate: 14.8g

Dietary fibre: 1.1g

Sodium: 315mg

Tips

Make, rather than buy, salad dressing to control the amount of fat, oil, salt or seasoning in it. Consumption of high levels of sodium, found in salt, has been linked to the development of high blood pressure.

Add more vegetables and fruit to dishes. They contain fibre, vitamins and beneficial plant substances called phytochemicals, which reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer.

 


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