Asian baby corn

Anyone who has ever enjoyed Chinese food knows how hard it can be to get through a meal without having to stop and marvel at an ear of baby corn. They truly are just baby ears of regular corn harvested in an immature stage from a regular-sized corn plant. According to How Stuff Works , once an ear designated to be "baby corn" reaches 2 to 4 inches in length, and is about a half inch in diameter, it is picked. From there, it can be pickled, canned, blanched or frozen. Baby carrots, tiny squash and micro greens are all common these days—and not all of them are youngsters.

Ever since we uncovered the startling truth about baby carrots , we've been brimming with questions about our favorite fruits and vegetables -- and we're on a crusade to find answers. Unlike its baby carrot brethren , baby corn is not a lie. In fact, it's precisely what it sounds like: an immature ear of corn , picked before its prime. Baby corn is mildly sweet and has a satisfying snap to it. The little guys, usually only a few inches long, are commonly used in Asian cuisine, including stir fries, curries and noodle dishes. If a dish lacks texture, baby corn provides a pleasant crunch without an overpowering flavor.

Let's start with the obvious: Baby corn is small, adorable, and yellow. What's less obvious is just what the heck young corn are present, keep it PG baby corn is. Is this the runt of the maize litter? Are they cut down like baby carrots? Is a shrink ray involved like in that beloved movie about parental negligence?

Baby corn is ubiquitous in Chinese takeout, but have you ever stopped to think about what it actually is and where it comes from? Is it a genetically modified ear of corn? An immature ear of corn?