Chaat Masala-&-Lime Dipped Corn on the Cob

[kirra]

Chaat Masala-&-Lime Dipped Corn on the Cob

Forget the butter and salt; once you taste the combination of sweet and sour that marks this dish, you'll never, ever go back. Leftover corn can be sliced off the cob and turned into corn cakes; top them with tamarind chutney and you'll be a happy camper.

Ingredients:

8 ears of the freshest corn you can find, shucked, silks removed
4 tablespoons of Chaat Masala*
Lime wedges

Preparation:

Before the grill has a chance to die down, put the cobs directly on the grate and turn repeatedly to make sure that they don't burn. (Or bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the corn to personal preference; I prefer mine juicy, but still with some crunch.) Roast the corn on the grill until tender.

Provide each diner with a small bowl of chaat masala and a wedge of lime. Dip the lime into the spice mixture and then squeeze it along each cob. Serves 4.

Note: Chaat Masala is a traditional spice mixture meant to be sprinkled on Indian street food, or chaat. There are as many versions as there are kinds of chaat, but the one I make comes from Madhur Jaffrey, and contains mouthwatering, pungent mango powder as a primary ingredient.