Bhutta/ Grilled Corn on the Cob

Bhutta or Grilled corn is one of the street food that I would actually eat from the cart vendor. I am very conscious of cleanliness. Growing up in Bangalore there were numerous food vendors standing at strategic locations to attract customers. There were quite a few standing right next to all my schools. I wouldn't buy anything that was raw (cut fruits/ vegetables), had water (like pani puri) and would use their hand to mix my food.!!! Bhutta on the other hand, (ignoring the fact that lime was cut by the vendor) I would love to buy. If you would imagine, cold Bangalore evenings, with the corn sputtering on red hot charcoal, getting perfectly grilled, all customers after picking their corn, waiting patiently around and staring at their beautiful pick. Hehehe.. I am almost transported there now.

My mom would steam the corn at home in a pressure cooker. That was another experience altogether. It tastes more juicier. You can add some chili powder and salt to the water before you steam and out comes the juicy goodness. When I was in LA few years ago, my old friend Julie, who was my land lady to at that time, came to me asking if I would like to eat Elotes. I wasn't sure what she was asking. She said she was buying from the street vendor! It was Mexican street corn. We went out and saw this guy with steamed corn and he was generously applying salted butter, Cheese, Chili powder to it. I wasn't sure how the butter would be on corn & asked to hold cheese, but I have to say it was extremely delicious.

It's a season for corn here in US now. And I lug them from every visit to a store or a farm. Kiddos love it. Here is the simplest of all Grilled Corn on the Cob for you!

Prep Time: 5 min | Cooking Time : 2 min each 

Ingredients:

Corn on the cob - 4
Salt - 1 tsp.
Pepper/ Chili powder - 1 tsp.
Chaat Masala powder/ Cumin Powder - 1 tsp.
Lime - 1

Method of Preparation:

~ Remove the husks of Corn, keep the stem which would help you to hold the corn while grilling.
~ You can either use outside grill or your regular gas stove fire. Holding on to the stem or using tongs turn the corn slowly on the fire, so all the corn gets grilled. 
~ Mix Chili powder, Chaat Masala powder and salt. Cut lime into halves. Dip one half into the chili mixture and generously scrub lime over the corn, squeezing little juice of lime as you go. 
~ Yummy Bhutta is ready to be devoured!