A Corny Love Story
Michelle Phetlhe | Wednesday October 22, 2025 06:31
The first time I made them, I was determined and I made it through. This time around, I thought I’d outsource the muscle.
My husband stepped in, drying the sharpest knives like a pro (cleaver and carver), from a set gifted by my mom in-law, only to end up back at the risky “bang the knife” method.
But sometimes, the corn talks back. This batch felt tougher, like a different strain altogether. That's when it hit me: maybe this corn doesn’t want to be ribs.
Maybe it wants to be something else. So, I sliced those cobs into thick, snackable rounds like chunky little corn coins and decided to run with it. No fear, no fuss. Just letting the corn be great on its own terms.
This dish was part of a private dining experience I hosted for my sisters, Melissa and Laura. There were about nine other dishes that day (yes, NINE! And you’ll catch all of them soon on our ChellzKitchen, Facebook page), but this particular one stood tall and sweet, singing with smoke, tang and creaminess.
Perfect for a Botswana braai or your next weekend hosting moment. Or even just a snack-for-dinner vibe on a Thursday night.
INGREDIENTS 3 large fresh sweet corn cobs, husked and cleaned 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 sachet Hinds The Strong One Smokey Salad Dressing Powder ¾ cup NutriDay Plain Yogurt Optional: chopped parsley, chili flakes, or feta for topping
INSTRUCTIONS Prep the Corn: Using a sharp knife (be careful!), slice each cob into 2–3 cm thick rounds. Place in a large bowl, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well. Grill Time! Fire up your grill or griddle pan. It needs to be hot and ready, medium-high heat. Place the corn slices directly on the grill. Let them cook until they get a good char, about 4–5 mins per side. You want that smokey, caramelised kiss. Mix the Dressing: In a small bowl, add the Hinds Smokey Dressing Powder. Add ¾ cup of NutriDay plain yogurt. Mix well until smooth and creamy. Let it sit while the corn grills the flavours bloom as it rests. Arrange the hot grilled corn slices on a serving plate. Drizzle generously with the smokey yogurt dressing and toss. Sprinkle any extras you love atop, parsley, chili flakes, maybe even some crumbled feta or toasted seeds. Serve immediately while warm. Great as a starter, side, or even the main event with a leafy salad and grilled meats. Pair with bubbles (we had Graham Beck). This dish gives warmth, texture, and that nostalgic mmidi sweetness that just works. I can’t wait to try this with traditional mmidi next season... it’s on the vision board. This isn’t your usual mayo-laced salad. It’s vibrant, smokey, tangy and still gives comfort. And most importantly it lets the corn be the STAR. As it should be. We’re all about Celebrating What Matters here. Whether that’s reconnecting with sisters over 10 plates of food (lol yes, TEN!), Or just making one humble veggie shine. So next time you want to try something different with your sweet corn, skip the ribs. Slice it. Grill it. Dress it. And feed your people with love.