The sunny weather has finally made way for the rains and it’s time to celebrate with some bhutta! Rhea Dhanbhoora & Gargi Bansod tell you how to make the most of corn this season
With the rains come hot and spicy bhutta, boiled corn and a number of other great corn dishes. But, don’t worry if you are at a complete loss on how to make the most of this corn fiesta as we give you a complete guide on great corn recipes, corn facts, where to go to make the most of the corn season. And of course, where to get the perfect bhutta.
Make your own corn
Don’t let the showers get you down. Here’s what you can whip up at home:
Double-Baked Prawn Soufflé With Corn
Looking for something light? Chef Amit Suri from Seasonal Taste at Westin gives us a simple corn soufflé recipe:
Ingredients
100g butter (softened)
100g flour
300ml warm milk
200g prawn meat (chopped)
200g pureed sweet corn
4 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons zest and juice
5 egg whites
1 cup breadcrumbs
Method
Butter 8 ramekins. Freeze and repeat 2 to 3 times.
Over low heat melt the butter in a saucepan and add the prawn meat.
Slowly add the flour to form a thick paste.
Warm the milk and add to the paste to make a thick sauce.
When cooked through, move to a round-bottomed bowl and add the egg yolks, one at a time.
Check the seasoning and add zest and a little juice until you are happy with the sharpness of the lemon. Add salt to taste.
Whisk egg whites to soft peaks and then mix them into a mixture of the prawn meat and sweet corn puree.
Before you put the mixture into the ramekins, coat with bread crumbs to ensure even rising.
When ramekins are full make sure that you tap the ramekin on a counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Cook for 5 minutes at 180°C until risen.
Corn Fritters
Love KFC? Then you must try Colonel Sanders’ corn fritters:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp melted butter or shortening
2 cups of fresh corn
Vegetable oil for frying (canola or corn oil)
Confectioner’s sugar or maple syrup
Method
While deep-frying on a stove, use a cooking or candy thermometer and a deep sided pot large enough to hold enough oil to submerge the corn fritters. l Heat oil to 185° C.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Combine beaten egg, milk and melted butter or shortening and add them to the dry ingredients mixing until the flour is moist. Stir in the corn.
Carefully drop one spoonful of the batter into the hot oil. Cook no more than six fritters at a time. Fry until golden brown and then remove and drain out the oil.
Dust with confectioner’s sugar.
Honey Chilly Crispy Baby corn
Executive chef Devwrat A. Jategaonkor from Radisson Blu Resort & Spa gives us a few recipes to help get us in the mood for corn:
Ingredients
10 pieces baby corn
1 capsicum
1 onion
1/2 bowl spring onion leaves
2 sliced green chillies
4-5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1/2 spoon red chilly paste
2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame seed
1 tsp honey
1 tsp corn flour
1 tsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp sesame oil
8-10 pieces whole red chilly
For the coating:
3 spoons cornflour
2 spoons refined flour
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper
3-4 tsp water
Method
In a bowl mix the corn flour, refined flour, salt, white pepper and water.
Cut the baby corn in ¼ pieces, dip in the batter and deep fry in hot oil.
Heat some oil in a pan and add the ginger, garlic, green chilly and pieces of whole red chilly.
In the same pan, add capsicum, onion, soya sauce, vinegar, salt, honey, red chilly paste and some water.
Dissolve some cornflour in water for thickness and add it to the pan once the mixture in it comes to a boil.
Add the fried baby corn, sesame seed, spring onion and mix well.
Chili Corn Cheesy baguette
Ingredients
1 French bread (cut lengthwise)
1/2 cup corn kernels
One pinch chilly flakes
1 cup tomato puree
1 tsp honey
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped zucchini
3-4 shredded baby corn
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup grated processed cheese
1 spoon sliced onion
10-12 black olives slices
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
3-4 basil leaves
Method
In a pan add olive oil, chopped onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes, tomato puree, salt, honey, and white pepper, tomato ketchup and corn.
Mix well. Sauté all the vegetables in a pan, separately.
On the French bread slice, spread the sautéed vegetables and corn mixture.
Arrange onion slices, olives and add cheese on the top.
Bake the bread slice with the topping in the oven. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve along with salad greens.
Corn olives with artichoke tart
Ingredients
4-5 slices olives slices
2 artichoke bottoms
1 chopped green capsicum
1/2 bowl boiled sweet corn
1/2 bowl cottage cheese cubes
2 chopped green chillies
1 bowl tomato puree
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
2 tsp chopped coriander
1/2 bowl grated processed cheese
5-6 tarts
2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp sugar
Method
In a pan heat oil and add onion, garlic and green chillies. Sauté for 2 minutes and add boiled sweet corn and capsicum.
Add tomato puree, salt, black pepper powder and sugar. Mix well.
Add cottage cheese, processed cheese, coriander, olives and artichoke bottoms and mix well.
Fill the tarts with the mix and place it in the oven, preheated at 180°F. for 10 minutes.
Get your corn on
Whipping up delicious corn items at home is one thing, but we’re sure you’d love a quick fix. We tell you about a few favourites:
Corn & cheese balls: A popular favourite for us (and we’re sure you feel the same way) are corn balls. And, when they’re loaded with cheese and a sprinkling of spice we love them even more.
Our pick Bombay Blue’s Corn & Cheese Balls, priced at `145 are a delicious starter, with stringy cheese and a good dose of spice without it being overdone.
Where Bombay Blue outlets in the city
Corn tikki: Served hot or cool with a sprinkling of chaat masala and dipped in your favourite chutney, corn tikki is perfect for the gloomy weather. It’s delicious and filling as well as a good evening snack.
Our pick The Moch Moche Corn Tikki at Veda (`275) is doused in flavourful ginger, masala and mustard and is perfect for a hot indulgence on a cold, rainy day.
Where Veda, Palladium, Lower Parel
Corn soup: The famous sweet corn soup is everyone’s all-time favourite and sipping on it while it pours outside is just a heavenly combination. The Indian corn masala soup is also a delight and perfect for our taste buds.
Our pick The Sweet Corn Soup (`140) at Rainforest Restobar is a delicious silky broth of fresh veggies and crunchy corn. The soup is spiced delicately with the freshness of corn and vegetables.
Where Rainforest outlets in the city
Corn roti: Makki ki roti with it’s perfect partner, Sarson ka Saag is a well known Punjabi delicacy. There is nothing like enjoying a combination of these two dishes on a cold rainy afternoon.
Our pick Try the Baby corn Kulchas (`180) at Punjabi Rasoi. Made with whole wheat flour, the kulchas are nutritional too.
Where Growel’s 101 mall, Akurli Road, Kandivali (E)
Going American
So, you’ve got American corn on the cob and you don’t know what to do with it. We help you out…
Boil it This one’s a classic so we don’t really need to tell you. Once boiled, smear it with butter, salt and some chaat masala.
Microwave Don’t bother boiling if you’ve got a microwave. Microwave it for around six minutes and it’s ready to eat!
Grill If you want to eat your sweet corn with a different flavour, try roasting it on a grill. It gives your corn a delicious smoky flavour. Brush it with some butter, cover it with the husk and grill it for around 15 minutes.
Bhutta cravings!
A steaming hot bhutta with a zing of chilli masala and lemon, a light drizzle of rain and the vast sea, isn’t it a heavenly sight? Rains and bhutta go hand in hand and they are safe to eat as the heat kills all the bacteria. So, drive out and binge on some corn at:
Nariman Point
Juhu beach
Girgaum Chowpatty
Carter road
Bandstand
Fact file
Chef Amit Suri from Westin tells you how corn is good for your health:
Low-fat, high-fiber complex carbohydrate, corn kernels are satisfying diet food that offers necessary calories for metabolism.
Corn is a rich source of minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, iron, copper and selenium. Also, it contains small amounts of potassium.
Corn is a very good source of thiamine, vitamin B1 which is very essential for the brain cell function. Human body requires thiamine for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter i.e. essential for the memory and deficiency of it can cause impairment in the brain function and Alzheimer’s disease.
Folic acid and vitamin B12 present in corn help to prevent anemia caused by the lack of these vitamins.
Getting festive
Can’t get enough of corn? Here are a few places we recommend you check out:
Saptami
The multi-cuisine all day dining restaurant is helping you go corn crazy this monsoon. They’ve organised a corn fest, where you can choose from different types of corn, prepared to your liking.
Where Saptami, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, Andheri (E)
Contact 40851800
Carafe Café & Coffee Shop
They’re helping you get corny with a range of innovative corn dishes to choose from. From Tandoori Bhutta to Tacos with corn kernels, pineapple and jalapenos relish to corn bhel and Makai Ragda Pattice, there’s something here for every taste bud.
Where Sakinaka Junction, Andheri (E)
Contact 28519191