Overview

Egyptian Grilled Corn

Name: Egyptian Grilled Corn
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Egypt
Ingredients: 4 ears (about 600g kernels) Sweetcorn on the cob; 20g (1 1/2 tbsp) Olive oil; 3g (1/2 tsp) Fine sea salt; 2g (1 tsp) Ground cumin; 8g (a small handful) Flat-leaf parsley, fresh; 1 lemon Lemon, cut into wedges

Dorra Mashwi, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Egyptian Street Corn

This egyptian grilled corn recipe chars sweetcorn over a hot grill until the kernels blister, then brushes it with oil and seasons it with salt, cumin and lemon. One serving is about 160 g.

Dorra mashwi — grilled corn — is one of the oldest street snacks of Cairo, sold from charcoal carts that appear on corners as soon as the corn is in season. The vendors roast the ears over braziers and hand them over hot, seasoned with salt, and the smell of charring corn is part of the city. Roasted corn is the same snack across the Arabic-speaking Mediterranean — in Lebanon it is called darra and sold from a charcoal brazier in the same way. Cook-test note: set against the vietnamese grilled corn already on the site, this is a different dish — plain oil, salt and cumin against a scallion-oil brushing — and the finished ears taste nothing alike.

Pairs well with: Serve hot from the grill with a cold drink, or alongside grilled fish and salad at a barbecue.

Provenance

Egypt

Cairo Street-Food Snack

Middle Eastern

Time Dedication

20m

5m prep • 15m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

176 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 160 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Grill)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Quick Prep (<30m) Occasions: Summer barbecue, street-food night, picnic, beach snack, quick snack Cost: Low — about $1 per serving at home

Tags: Vegetables Savory Vegetarian Vegan Gluten-free Grilled

Egyptian grilled corn — charred corn on the cob with herbs and coarse salt on a wooden board

Cairo Street-Food Snack

Photo: Dragne Marius, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Sweetcorn on the cob 4 ears (about 600g kernels)

Husked; about 150 g kernels per ear. Substitute: White corn.

How to choose: Full, tight husks and plump, milky kernels — avoid ears with dry or brown silk.

How to prepare: Pull off the husks and silk, then rinse and pat dry.

Required
Olive oil 20g (1 1/2 tbsp)

For brushing, not butter — the dish stays vegan. Substitute: Sunflower oil.

How to choose: Fresh oil.

How to prepare: Measure out into a small bowl.

Required
Fine sea salt 3g (1/2 tsp)

For seasoning the hot corn. Substitute: Kosher salt.

How to choose: Clean, free-flowing salt.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
Ground cumin 2g (1 tsp)

For dusting the hot corn. Substitute: Smoked paprika.

How to choose: Fragrant ground cumin.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
Flat-leaf parsley, fresh 8g (a small handful)

Chopped, for scattering over the corn. Substitute: Coriander.

How to choose: Bright green, no wilted leaves.

How to prepare: Wash, dry and chop.

Required
Lemon, cut into wedges 1 lemon

About 10 g of juice squeezed over the corn. Substitute: Lime.

How to choose: A fresh, heavy lemon.

How to prepare: Cut into wedges.

Required

Estimated cost: Low — about $1 per serving at home (USD)

An Egyptian street snack: sweetcorn charred over hot coals, brushed with oil and finished with salt, cumin and lemon — no butter, so it stays vegan.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 20m

Prep Stage: Husk the Corn and Heat the Grill

5 Mins • Prep Work

Pull the husks and silk off the corn, rinse the ears and pat them dry — wet corn steams instead of charring. Brush each ear lightly with oil. Mix the salt and cumin in a small bowl, chop the parsley, and cut the lemon into wedges.

Maestro Tip: Dry the ears well after rinsing — the oil only sticks to dry kernels, and dry kernels char better.

1
Heat the Grill

5 Mins High heat, about 230°C (450°F)

Heat a charcoal or gas grill until the coals are white-hot or the grates are very hot, and oil the grates lightly.

A hot grill is the whole dish — a lukewarm grill steams the corn and never blisters it.

Done when: Coals glowing white, or grates too hot to hold a hand over.
2
Brush with Oil

3 Mins Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)

Brush each ear all over with the oil, turning it in your hands so every side is coated.

A thin, even coat is enough — pools of oil drip and flare up on the coals.

Done when: Every kernel glistening with a thin coat of oil.
3
Grill the Corn

12 Mins High heat, about 230°C (450°F)

Lay the ears on the grill and cook for about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until the kernels are golden with blackened spots all over and tender when pierced.

Turn on a schedule, not when you remember — even charring comes from even turning.

Done when: Golden kernels with blackened blisters on all sides; tender when pierced.
4
Season and Serve

2 Mins Serve hot, about 60°C (140°F)

Lift the corn off the grill, sprinkle the salt and cumin over the hot ears, scatter the parsley, and squeeze lemon over each one. Serve at once, while the kernels are still steaming.

Season while the corn is hot — the salt and cumin stick to the oil and the lemon sizzles into the kernels.

Done when: Hot, glossy ears dusted with salt and cumin, with lemon and parsley over the top.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Eat the corn straight off the cob while it is hot — that is how the Cairo street vendors serve it, wrapped in paper, with the lemon and cumin still sizzling on the kernels.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

176

kcal / serving

Protein

Complete AA

Carbs

29g

Complex

Fats

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 160 g)
Energy	176 kcal
Protein	5 g
Carbohydrates	29 g
Fat	7 g
Fibre	3.1 g
Sugar	9.5 g
Sodium	315 mg

Per 100g
Energy	110 kcal
Protein	3.2 g
Carbohydrates	17.9 g
Fat	4.5 g
Fibre	2 g
Sugar	6 g
Sodium	197 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: The sweetcorn supplies fibre, folate and vitamin B1, and the lemon juice and parsley add vitamin C.

Fibre and Folate from Corn

About 3.1 g of fibre per serving, with folate and vitamin B1 from the sweetcorn.

Light, Honest Energy

About 176 kcal an ear, mostly from the corn itself, with a spoonful of oil for the grill.

Vegan and Gluten-Free

Corn, oil, salt, cumin and lemon — nothing animal and nothing with gluten in the whole dish.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Vegetables

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

A cool, crisp salad is the perfect foil for hot, smoky corn straight off the coals.

Sides

Grilled Fish

Corn on the cob is a natural partner for grilled fish at an Egyptian seaside meal.

Drinks

Sugarcane Juice or Iced Tea

A cold, sweet drink is what Cairo vendors sell beside the corn carts, and it cools the smoky heat.

Full Menus

Barbecue Spread

Put the corn on the table with grilled meats and salads, and let everyone season their own ear.

Complete menu

Egyptian grilled corn with grilled fish and cucumber salad, followed by iced tea.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Grilling on a Cold Grill

Corn grilled on a lukewarm grill turns pale and rubbery instead of charred and sweet. Wait until the coals are white-hot. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Eating Corn Left Out in the Sun

Cooked corn left sitting warm for hours can grow bacteria — eat it hot from the grill, or cool it quickly and refrigerate it. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsA light snack between meals — one ear with a drink is enough to tide you over.
ChildrenA fun, hands-on snack children love; cut the kernels off the cob for younger children.
ElderlySoft kernels are easy to eat; serve warm and cut off the cob if teeth are a problem.
Pregnant womenFine when served hot and freshly grilled; the corn is cooked through on the grill.
Breastfeeding womenA good light carbohydrate snack; pair it with a protein-rich meal rather than eating it alone.
AthletesA light, quick carbohydrate for a snack, but not a full recovery meal on its own.
Weight gainEasy to enrich: brush with more oil or serve with butter on the side.
Weight lossAt about 176 kcal an ear, this is one of the lightest snacks on the site.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesAbout 29 g of carbohydrate per serving, mostly natural corn sugars. Count the ear in your meal plan and ask your clinician.
High blood pressureAbout 315 mg of sodium per serving. Use a lighter hand with the salt and ask your clinician about your sodium target.
Kidney diseaseLow in protein at about 5.1 g per serving; eat it with a protein-rich main. Ask your clinician about your portion.
GoutCorn is low in purines, so the dish itself is fine for gout; watch rich barbecue meats alongside it. Ask your clinician if flare-ups are frequent.
Stomach issuesCumin and lemon can bother a sensitive stomach; leave them off and use salt alone. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
Cardiovascular diseaseLow in fat at about 7.2 g per serving, which makes it a lighter snack choice; keep the oil brushing light and ask your clinician about your fat target.
Fatty liverA light, plant-based snack that fits a lighter eating pattern. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
Food allergiesContains no major allergens; corn allergy is rare, but check if you know you react to corn. Ask your clinician if you have a food allergy.
Special therapeutic dietsNaturally gluten-free and vegan as written; no swaps are needed for a gluten-free diet, but ask your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Cool the corn quickly and wrap the ears in foil or put them in an airtight container.
In the fridge: 2 days.
In the freezer: 2 months; cut the kernels off the cob first and freeze them in a bag.
How to reheat: Warm on a hot grill for 3 minutes, or in a pan until steaming throughout; reheat to 74°C (165°F).
Freezing recommended: Yes, as cut kernels — up to 2 months.
Signs it has spoiled: Sour smell, slimy kernels, or a dull, grey colour.

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