Vietnamese Stir-fried Corn (Bắp Xào)

Fresh wholesome corn kernels are stir-fried along with crispy tiny dried shrimp and fragrant green onions in a delectable and rich sauce, creating a succulent sweet, and savory street snack. This Vietnamese dish is fast and easy to make but packs quite a lot of different flavors and textures in every tiny bite.

What Is Vietnamese Stir-Fried Corn With Dried Shrimp?

If you ever step foot in Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, then you’ll most likely come across signs displaying the words bắp xào, along with vendors either sitting down on a stool in the streets or standing upright behind a stand cooking up some Vietnamese stir fry corn. For a measly 30k vnd (~ $1 USD), you can enjoy this sweet and savory snack too. I had my first run-in with this Vietnamese stir-fried street corn snack several years back when I was in Saigon visiting my relatives and was curious to try it after seeing it being advertised everywhere. I was actually surprised by how tasty the snack was despite it looking very trivial.

Vietnamese stir fried corn or Vietnamese sautéed corn (bắp xào) is a very popular Vietnamese street food snack sold in Vietnam, especially in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Fresh corn kernels are stir-fried along with crispy dried baby shrimp and a tonne of green onions in fish sauce and margarine to create this quick and easy flavorful snack.

There is also another version of the snack that involves adding in salted duck egg yolks to it as well known as bắp xào trứng muối in Vietnamese.

Luckily for you and me, we don’t need to travel all the way to Vietnam in order to enjoy this easy and delicious snack. You’ll find all of the ingredients necessary to make this Vietnamese snack at your local Asian grocery store to make it at home. This Vietnamese stir-fried corn recipe is quick and easy to make and is a great introduction to Vietnamese street food snacks.

Vietnamese Stir-Fried Corn Ingredients

• 4 ears of Fresh sweet yellow corn
• 35g of Crispy tiny dried shrimp (Tép sấy)
• 3-4 stalks of Green onions (scallion)
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter/margarine
• 1 Tablespoon of Cooking oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon of Fish sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons of White granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of Water
• 2-3 cloves of Minced garlic

Ingredient Notes

Fresh sweet yellow corn: Traditionally this dish in Vietnam is made using white waxy corn, however since I’m in North America and white waxy corn may not be readily available, I have modified this dish to go with sweet yellow corn instead which is bountiful. In addition, yellow sweet corn adds a nice touch of sweetness and crispness to the dish. It also looks nicer too which is a bonus 😉.

Crispy tiny dried shrimp (Tép sấy): For this dish, we’re going to be using the same kind of shrimp that they serve in Vietnam which is the crispy tiny dried shrimp also known as tép sấy. These dried shrimp are usually sold in a container like this and are already pre-seasoned for you so there isn’t any extra work that you will need to do prior to using this type of dried shrimp.

There’s another type of dried shrimp though that you probably have seen before and that’s the regular dried shrimp (tôm khô) which is much bigger and is often sold in different sizes as well. This type of dried shrimp is harder and chewier compared to the tiny dried shrimp that we will use in this recipe. This type of dried shrimp typically needs to be soaked in water prior to use and is sometimes even chopped down into small pieces before use. We will not be using this type of dried shrimp for this recipe and I do not recommend substituting it in place of the tiny dried shrimp as you will end up with a very different texture and taste.

You can see in the photos the size and texture differences which is why I suggest against using it. Make sure that you’re using the right type of dried shrimp!

Fish sauce: For this recipe, I am using the very popular Thai squid-brand fish sauce that is practically in every Asian household. This type of fish sauce is on the saltier side so if you’re using Vietnamese fish sauce instead, you may need to adjust and add a little more fish sauce to the recipe or not, depending on your own personal preferences.

How to Make Vietnamese Stir-Fried Corn With Dried Shrimp

Preparing Ingredients:

1. Start off by washing and drying off your corn.
2. Next, we’re going to cut our corn kernels out. Now this step may either be easy or difficult for you depending on how straight your corn kernels are. Run a knife in between the kernels and then push out the first row of corn kernels and then just cut the corn kernels sideways to easily remove them from the cob. Important to note here, we don’t want the tip caps that attach the corn kernels to the cob as this is tough when chewing on it, therefore make sure to cut it off when removing the corn kernels from the cob.

3. Once you’re done cutting out the corn kernels, place the corn kernels through a basket or strainer and shake it vigorously to remove all of the non-whole corn kernels or any husks that are present in the corn kernels. You can discard this or save it for another recipe. Once done, set the corn kernels aside.

4. Now cut your green onions (after washing them of course 😉) into small pieces about 1/4 inch in width and separate the white and green parts and then set them aside.

5. Next, mince your garlic cloves and then set that aside as well.

Cooking the Dish:

6. Heat up a wok on medium heat and once it’s hot, add in your cooking oil.
7. Once the oil is hot, add in the white parts of the green onions + the minced garlic and reduce the heat to medium-low heat.

8. Stir-fry this for about 20 seconds and then add in your corn kernels.

9. Stir-fry everything together on medium heat for about a minute.
10. Now add the sugar and water to the wok.

11. Stir-fry everything for another 30 seconds and then cover the wok with a lid.
12. Let it cook until the corn is almost done, roughly about 1 minute, and occasionally stir the corn to prevent it from sticking and burning at the bottom.

13. When the corn is almost done, remove the lid and add in your fish sauce. Stir-fry everything for another 10-15 seconds.

14. Now add in your margarine, stir-fry it for about 10 seconds, and then add in your dried shrimp, stir-fry it for about 30 seconds, and then cover the lid again for another 30 seconds.

15. Finally, remove the lid, stir-fry it for another 15 seconds, and then add in your green onions. Stir-fry everything for another 15 seconds before turning off your stove and transferring the dish to a bowl or plate and serving it.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Using the wrong type of dried shrimp for this recipe that leads to either overly rough, dry, and chewy shrimp or overly soft and mushy shrimp. Neither of which tastes good with this recipe. Make sure that you use baby-dried crispy shrimp that should be labeled Tép sấy on the package. This shrimp is already seasoned and is quite small and flat compared to the traditional dried shrimp that you typically see being used which is hard and rough and needs to be soaked first prior to use. And for the love of god, do not use regular shrimp with this recipe. If you use regular shrimp and stir-fry that with the corn then it now becomes a completely new recipe that should be appropriately titled “shrimp and corn stir fry” 🤦‍♂️.

Storage Tips

This dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Side Dishes:

You might want to pair this with another famous Vietnamese street food snack, Vietnamese pizza (Bánh Tráng Nướng or something sweet like my Vietnamese corn pudding dessert (Chè Bắp) or to wash it all down with a nice beverage like my Vietnamese corn milk drink (Sữa Bắp).

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.S)

Can I Use Canned/Frozen Corn in Place of Fresh Corn?

Yes, this is perfectly fine if you cannot find fresh corn.

Can I Use Regular Dried Shrimp Instead of Crispy Tiny Dried Shrimp?

No! The regular-sized dried shrimp (tôm khô) has a different texture and is much harder and chewier compared to the crispy baby dried shrimp (tép sấy) and if you soak it in water then it just becomes overly soft and mushy and does not resemble anything like what they serve out on the streets in Vietnam. Just go to your local Asian supermarket and pick up a package or order some online.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Vietnamese Corn Pudding
• Vietnamese Corn Milk
• Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Jelly Dessert
• Vietnamese Pizza (Bánh Tráng Nướng)

Vietnamese Stir-fried Corn (Bắp Xào)

Fresh wholesome corn kernels are stir-fried along with crispy tiny dried shrimp and fragrant green onions in a delectable and rich sauce, creating a succulent sweet, and savory street snack. This Vietnamese dish is fast and easy to make but packs quite a lot of different flavors and textures in every tiny bite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 4 Servings

Equipment

• 1 Wok

Ingredients

  

• 4 Ears of Fresh sweet yellow corn
• 35 g Crispy tiny dried shrimp (Tép sấy)
• 3-4 Stalks Green Onions
• 2 Tablespoons Butter/margarine
• 1 Tablespoon Cooking oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon Fish sauce
• 1.5 Teaspoons White granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• 2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic

Instructions

 

Preparing Ingredients

• Start off by washing and drying off your corn.
• Next, we’re going to cut our corn kernels out. Now this step may either be easy or difficult for you depending on how straight your corn kernels are. Run a knife in between the kernels and then push out the first row of corn kernels and then just cut the corn kernels sideways to easily remove them from the cob. Important to note here, we don’t want the tip caps that attach the corn kernels to the cob as this is tough when chewing on it, therefore make sure to cut it off when removing the corn kernels from the cob.
• Once you’re done cutting out the corn kernels, place the corn kernels through a basket or strainer and shake it vigorously to remove all of the non-whole corn kernels or any husks that are present in the corn kernels. You can discard this or save it for another recipe. Once done, set the corn kernels aside.
• Now cut your green onions (after washing them of course ) into small pieces about 1/4 inch in width and separate the white and green parts and then set them aside.
• Next, mince your garlic cloves and then set that aside as well.

Cooking the Dish

• Heat up a wok on medium heat and once it’s hot, add in your cooking oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add in the white parts of the green onions + the minced garlic and reduce the heat to medium-low heat.
• Stir-fry this for about 20 seconds and then add in your corn kernels.
• Stir-fry everything together on medium heat for about a minute.
• Now add the sugar and water to the wok.
• Stir-fry everything for another 30 seconds and then cover the wok with a lid.
• Let it cook until the corn is almost done, roughly about 1 minute, and occasionally stir the corn to prevent it from sticking and burning at the bottom.
• When the corn is almost done, remove the lid and add in your fish sauce. Stir-fry everything for another 10-15 seconds.
• Now add in your margarine, stir-fry it for about 10 seconds, and then add in your dried shrimp, stir-fry it for about 30 seconds, and then cover the lid again for another 30 seconds.
• Finally, remove the lid, stir-fry it for another 15 seconds, and then add in your green onions. Stir-fry everything for another 15 seconds before turning off your stove and transferring the dish to a bowl or plate and serving it.