I'm kind of notorious for liking "the classics". A hamburger with regular mustard, not fancy mustard. Pizza with pepperoni and cheese. Boiled corn with butter. But this grilled Indian Street corn with lime, melted butter, cilantro and Indian spices is soooooo delicious it's changed my opinion on the perfect way to eat corn.
That right there is a thing of beauty. It's a tray of Indian Street corn which is similar to Mexican street corn in more ways than the fact that they're usually sold from street carts. Indian and Mexican street corn are both topped with spices, buttery goodness, lime and cilantro. Indian street corn doesn't have the mayo, sour cream and cheese that you see on Mexican grilled corn.
A few years ago a neighbour and I (more my neighbour really) organized a street party for the end of summer. It was a pot luck with everyone just bringing whatever food they wanted. No one knew what anyone else was bringing, there was no planning, and no organizing. Just a general invitation to show up at 5 o'clock with some food and a lawn chair.
We shut the street down with hockey nets, because this is Canada, and everyone just started loading up the food table and rolling out the grills.
I made wood oven pizza for that first street party and with that move, figured I had secured the best dish at the neighbourhood BBQ. I even lotioned my arms so they'd look good slipping into the inevitable sash and photo ops.
Not so.
Instead the HIT of the neighbourhood party was my neighbour's Indian Street Corn. Fresh corn roasted on the BBQ then slathered in Indian spices, melted ghee and topped with chopped cilantro and a huge squeeze of lime.
Everyone went NUTS over this corn. Backflip nuts. Eyes roll into the back of your head nuts. I may have been the nuttiest of them all asking what was on the corn, how did she make it, what were the spices???
"TELL ME NOW YOU SCENE STEALING CORN GRILLING GODDESS."
Is what I thought. What I actually said was, "Hey Edwina? Could I get that recipe? I mean it. I'm not just saying, Hey, I'd like the recipe .... I really, really mean it. Could you give it to me? Because I'd really like it and not just in a polite kind of way I mean I REALLY AND TRULY WANT THIS RECIPE YOU SCENE STEALING CORN GRILLING GODDESS."
A day later she showed up at my door with a recipe written on beautiful paper along with a jar of her own spice blend. I immediately asked her to marry me.
She said no. So did her husband. But I still got the recipe so I don't care.
The most important part of the recipe is the blend of Indian spices. Hot Indian chili powder, paprika, Garam Marsala, kosher salt and cumin.
Sharing this delicious grilled corn with everyone you know is also important but not as important as the cumin.
The corn is also important. You want fresh husked corn that's as juicy and tender as possible because once you put it on a BBQ corn tends to shrink and shrivel.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ Tablespoons paprika
- ¾ teaspoon of hot Indian red chili powder or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 cobs of corn
- Indian Spice blend
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch cilantro
- Melted ghee or butter
Instructions
- Mix the first 5 ingredients together to create your Indian Spice Blend.
- Husk corn.
- Melt butter.
- Chop a large handful of cilantro.
- Pre-heat grill to medium high.
- Grill corn with the lid closed turning occasionally until the corn is nicely charred and cooked.
- Remove from grill and immediately brush the corn with melted ghee or butter.
- Liberally sprinkle spice blend and cilantro over corn.
- Finish with a large squeeze of lime.
So back to the street party. THIS is the kind of thing that comes out of a street party so if you've ever thought of having one but couldn't be bothered know this ... you're stupid.
Cause seriously. Look at that. Just LOOK at it.
The year after I decided not to embarrass myself and kept the pizza oven shut and opted to bring a massive Caprese salad and sourdough bread. The next year I brought - actually I can't remember what I brought the next year. But the last time we had a street party, preCOVID was 2019. I brought pulled pork that I smoked on my smoker and sweet buns for it to go on.
This year? If we're lucky enough to be able to hold a block party this year (on account of the Ick) I have a very special surprise that I'm going to bring. And I'm ridiculously excited about it.
But I can't say what it is yet because I don't want to tip off any of my neighbours who happen to read this blog of mine.
I will say if there's ANYTHING that can beat Indian Grilled Corn, this thing I'm planning is it.
Take *that* my sister wife Edwina the Corn Grilling Goddess.
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OMG....this looks stunning!!
I best start planning on what to bring to the street party....the bar has been set!
L.
yum...technical question: when I grill corn I usually pull the husks down to remove the silk, but then pull the husks back over the ears, soak it in some water for a bit (so they don't immediately turn into corn torches)...would this work if it was slathered on under the husk? I guess you wouldn't get as much of the char (you do get some)....
Hi Eileen. You really need to remove the husks. I used to grill with the husks on too, but removing the entire husk makes the corn SOOOO much better. Give it a shot. :) ~ karen!
Que apetecibles se ven esas mazorcas de maíz, hummm, ya mordería una ahora mismito, jejeje. Lo he de probar :P
Besote!!!!
Yes, they're delicious! ~ karen
And to top off such a feast you are drinking 19 Crimes - my most favorite wine EVER. Can't wait to try this corn. Tonight.
Salivating.....
Wow that sounds so good. I have to try this Karen.
Nice corn and gams.
Looks yummy! Just wondering, there is no salt added. Does it not need it? I can't imagine corn on the cob without salt! Maybe you just added it after?
Hi Lez. The salt is in the spice blend. ~ karen!
Hi, I am so amazed to see this post. May be because of being an Indian. And these corn are super tempting especially in rains and winter. And yes Indian spices are a must. They'll be perfect if you roast them a little more to golden brown.
Just a tip: If Indian spices are not available. Then simply apply salt, butter and lemon.
Here's a funny story Madhu. My BBQ ran out of gas while I was roasting these for the picture, lol. Normally I'd grill them longer. :) ~ karen!
Oh that looks divine, and I happen to have some fresh corn on the cob. Now to figure out where to buy garam masala! And ghee...had to look that one up. Probably need to go to a specialty food shop
Just use melted butter Brandy. No big whoop. And most largeish grocery stores should carry garam Marsala. ? ~ k!
If you are in Canada bulk barn carries it too!
You might not even need a specialty food shop...my chain grocery now has a pretty decent ethnic food section and garam masala is there....also you can order it from Amazon.
In NYC, the street fairs generally have roasted corn and I have been known to eat an ear at the beginning....walk several blocks and at the turnaround of the street fair, get another ear for the walk back. They dont spice it with the good stuff but they will dunk the ear in melted butter as you watch....decadent and delicious and worth every bit of the mess and dental flossing required!
Brandy, if you reside in Canada you can find ghee in your local grocery store such as Freshco or Loblaws. If not, try your local mom and pop Indian grocery store. Ghee is a common ingredient in Indian food
Oh this looks soooooooo delicious!
I have another treat for you. Head over to Pioneer Womans blog and look up her Cauliflower Sriracha. OMG it is flippin delicious!!!!! My hubs and I are simply hooked to death. So simple. I am on WW and when I just want a simple-something, I whip me up a batch of cauliflower. So satisfying.
Try it and see if you love it.
That sounded so good so I pulled up the link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/spicy-cauliflower-stir-fry/
What a brilliant twist on corn on the cob. Can't wait to wow my peeps too. But we're going to have to wait a month or 4 - it's not the season here just yet! Damn!
Lemme guess ... New Zealand? I'll remind you in 4 months. ;) ~ karen!
No, but close... South Africa.
Not to be outdone, I went and bought a bag of frozen corn, let it defrost in a colander to drain any excess water and then 'fried' it in the butter and spices. This is how we'll eat it until we can experience your 'off the cob' gastronomical bliss. :)
I read the whole post waiting to hear the details about the main ingredient, the Indian corn, which you obviously use for this recipe and have to have to make street corn. Until I finally got it. I'm tired.
In my defense, I think it was all those colors that threw me.
I'm sure that was it. :) ~ karen!
Hey Karen,
Can you please move to my street and make the corn for our street party?
Ima gonna try to tell our neighbourhood peeps to make their own / I'm just going to tell them to check out the blog and say I'll bring the corn and spices ... I think we'll be having someone (wo)manning the BBQ for everyone ... I need to keep clean for the sash and photo op
I'm sounding a little like Donald trump now aren't I - le sigh
Sure, yes, absolutely. Where are you and how long will it take me to walk there? (I'm on a health kick) ~ karen!
That's great! I'm in Ottawa, so if you walk 20 miles a day, I'll see you in August. :) I guess I would owe you a new pair of runners too.
OMG - our neighbourhood FB group just posted a call for people to volunteer to help organize a BBQ and I might be able to steer them to your blog about this and I a might be my neighbourhoods goddess OMG ... meeEEEEeeeee! because of youuuuu ... because of whats'er name!!! OMG
Edwina - Karen ... you're the best !
Try as I might, it just doesn't taste as good as it looks on the screen. Perhaps that is because I'm trying to eat it through the screen. Hope you had a great weekend, Ardith
LOL! ~ k!
I've been contemplating a career change. Having just devoured your post, perhaps I'll buy a food truck outfitted for grilling and selling the world's most delicious Indian Street Corn.
Free toothpicks with every purchase.
Genius.
Free toothpicks IS genius! ;) ~ karen!
HONESTLY! The very first thought in my head when I looked at your picture today on this blog... my very words were "OMG" "LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL CORN" "JUST LOOK AT IT" Wow Karen is the bomb! I totally want to make this! I want to show off and pretend "I" thought of it! Your neighbor is a food goddess! What gorgeous colors! I want to make it just so I can photograph it! LOL Thanks for this one my foodie friend. AND I do love to look at your food pictures!
They're my favourite photos to take! Thanks Barbie. :) ~ karen!
And, I thought slathering it with butter and rolling it in grated Parmesan was adventurous!
It's 11:00 p.m. and now I'm craving corn. Thanks, thanks a lot. ?
My job here is done. :) ~ karen! (Well ... until Wednesday's post that is. Then it will begin all over again.)