Indian Street-Style Corn Recipe - Masala Bhutta

Bhutta - Indian Street-Style Corn

Bhutta (Indian name for corn) or Street Style Corn-On-The-Cob is one of my favorite snacks. Ironically, in India, we enjoy this grilled corn during the rainy season, while in the West, this is enjoyed as a summertime snack. In India, it is a very popular street food where the vendor comes with his cart that's loaded solely with corn. He grills the corn on a small stove fueled by charcoal until it's nicely charred. He uses a freshly cut lemon to spread a special spicy and tangy masala (spice mixture) evenly all over the grilled corn. He then serves the hot corn on a bed of husk.

The key in this recipe is the masala and the way the corn is charred. Indian spices definitely bring a big flavor to the grilled corn on the cob game. Grilled corn is also a popular snack to have when on the beach.

Down the memory lane

We would order a Bhutta each, almost every single day of the season. We were his regular customers. No matter how heavy the rains were, he would be there outside our home every day and we, like his loyal customers, would place our order and wait patiently for it to get ready. Over the years, he even allowed me to apply the spice rub myself and I would make mine super spicy and tangy. Today, I don't just miss the Mumbai Monsoons but also the Bhutta which is a staple fixture of this season!

It's been so many years since I last ate street-style corn cooked the Indian way! Unfortunately, I always end up visiting my home in Mumbai during the summertime and so never get to enjoy this dish because it is seasonal. I envy all the Insta pics that I see during that time of the year where all my friends are relishing grilled corn while I am left sulking. But this year, I decided to put an end to this self-inflicted misery of mine. I decided to make Bhutta Indian style. 

Best Summer food

Grilled Corn is looked upon as the perfect summer fare here which can be made on the grill or in the oven. I prefer the grill method as the crispy charred corn tastes the best when grilled over the fire. This snack covers all of the flavor bases - sweet, savory, smoky, and sour. We love hosting our friends and family all year through and as expected, food is always the center of all these get-togethers. Summers are reserved for outdoor grilling and BBQs. All of us get together with family and the boys cook up a BBQ menu for us.

Since summer has just begun, we wanted to have our friends over for a casual hangout. As most of them are Indians who miss home food just like me, I thought this would be a nice opportunity to cook something to excite their Indian taste buds. I wanted to surprise my guests with my unique take on corn.  I wanted some specific ingredients to make the spice rub. Since I am a regular shopper at Walmart, that is where I went to search for my secret ingredients. 🙂

Ingredients needed

Let me tell you a bit about a couple of these products that I used for my spice rub. First, Frank's® RedHot® Sauce - an amazing hot sauce, which brings the perfect balance of flavor and heat to any recipe. Second, Lawry's® Seasoned Salt - which is salt mixed with a blend of spices like paprika, turmeric, garlic, etc. It instantly adds flavor to any dish - during or after cooking!

These two ingredients worked so beautifully together to create a flavorful spice rub suited to the spicy Indian palate. The flavor is all-important! The right ingredients can instantly elevate your grilling experience - and trust me, these products did just that!!! I strongly suggest you use these ingredients when you make this recipe. You'll see what I'm talking about! 

How to make it

Now, here's how to make Indian Street Style Corn-On-The-Cob at home. The first step is to create the spice rub. Mix together the following ingredients - Lawry's® Seasoned Salt, McCormick® Black Pepper, Frank's® RedHot® Original Sauce, McCormick® Cumin powder and Indian Garam Masala (you can find this in any Indian store). Set this aside for now. Shuck the corn. Melt some butter (either in a saucepan or in the microwave) and transfer to another bowl.

Pre-heat your grill to medium-high. Grill the corn by turning occasionally until the corn is evenly charred and cooked. The amount of charring is a personal preference (some prefer light, while others prefer well done). I like it well done. Remove the corn from the grill and immediately brush the corn with melted butter. Make sure the corn is coated fully, because who doesn't love lots of butter on their corn?! Plus, it will help the spice rub better adhere to the corn.

Liberally sprinkle the spice mix onto the corn on all sides evenly. After this, rub the corn with lemon. Traditionally, a lemon is cut in half and rubbed over the corn to ensure even coverage, but you can even squeeze a lemon over it (be cautious here - lest it becomes too sour). Garnish the corn with cilantro and serve immediately. Be careful when handling the hot corn!