Ingredients
- 4 ears corn, husked
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), plus more for dusting
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as substitute)
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Neutral oil, for the grill
Method
Grill the corn: Brush corn lightly with oil. Grill over medium-high heat (or a grill pan on the stove), turning every 2-3 minutes, until charred in spots all over — about 10-12 minutes total. Char is the point here; don't rush past it.
Mix the sauce: While the corn grills, whisk mayonnaise and gochujang together until smooth and uniformly reddish-orange.
Coat: Brush or spread the gochujang mayo generously over the hot corn — heat helps it cling and slightly melt into the kernels.
Finish: Roll or press the coated corn in the crumbled cotija so it sticks to the sauce. Dust with additional gochugaru for color and a sharper hit of heat than the gochujang alone provides. Scatter cilantro over the top.
Serve immediately with lime wedges — a squeeze of lime cuts through the richness of the mayo base the same way it does on a standard elote.
Notes
- Gochugaru vs. standard chili powder: gochugaru is coarser, smokier, and less bitter than most chili powders — a direct powder-for-powder swap will taste sharper and more acrid. If gochugaru isn't available, use a mild ancho chili powder instead of a generic "chili powder" blend.
- Off-the-cob version: cut kernels off after grilling and toss with the same sauce and toppings for a Korean-Mexican elote salad (esquites) — good for a crowd, no corn-on-the-cob logistics.
- Cotija is closer to a dry, salty feta than to a melting cheese — don't substitute mozzarella or a similar melting cheese, it won't crumble the same way.