A corn kernel is the individual edible seed of the corn plant (Zea mays), botanically a grain rather than a true vegetable, though it is cooked and eaten as one. Fresh kernels are boiled, grilled, or roasted as a side dish, while dried kernels are ground into meal or masa for tortillas, cornbread, and other staples. The flavor is sweet and mildly nutty with a tender, juicy texture when cooked fresh, becoming starchier once dried. Kernels appear across cuisines, from Mexican pozole to Southern succotash to Asian fried rice.