A recipe that I often like to make is corn chaat. When I have some boiled corn and potatoes, I make this quick snack where I love to add chopped cucumber, onion, tomato and peanuts, which also means there is a nice crunch in each spoonful. The roasted spices, chaat masala and lemon juice really bring the flavors together to make it irresistible.
What to Know:
- Corn Chaat is a popular Indian street food.
- I can serve this dish in half an hour, needing only 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- Corn chaat tastes slightly tangy and spicy.
- It is best enjoyed as is.
- If you are looking for an alternative, try papdi chaat or bhel puri.
The Ingredients:
To boil:
- Corn kernel or bhutta: 1 cup or 150 gm (regular corn)
- Potato: 2 pieces, medium size, approximately 250 to 300 gm (peeled, cut and cleaned)
- Water: 4 to 5 cups or as much as required to boil the corn kernels and potatoes
To Chop:
- Onion: 1 piece, medium size, approximately 100 g (peeled and chopped)
- Tomato: 1 piece (medium size, approximately 100 gm, chopped)
- Coriander leaves: ¼ cup or 15 gm, (chopped)
- Green chilies: 3 pieces (chopped, approximately 1 tbsp)
- Cucumber: 1 piece, medium size, approximately 150 g, (chopped)
The Spice Mix:
- Roasted homemade spice powder: 1 tsp (made with coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chili, all first dry roasted and then ground)
For Mixing and Topping:
- Peanuts: ¼ cup (about 35 to 40 gm)
- Besan sev or jhuri bhaja: ½ cup (about 35 to 40 gm)
- Lemon: ½ piece, medium size (cut into four pieces)
- Rock salt: ½ tbsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Chaat masala: 1 tbsp
How to Make Corn Chaat (Step by Step Images)?
1. Heat the wok and add 4 to 5 cups of water to it. Add corn and potatoes to simmering water, cover, and let it boil for about 8 to 10 minutes on a medium heat.
(Pro tip: Use the Chandramukhi variety of potato as it boils quickly. Cut the potatoes lightly for faster boiling. Corn also boils quickly. If you prefer, you can boil the potatoes separately. You can add some salt at this moment if desired.)
2. Open the lid, and you’ll notice that most of the water has evaporated. Both the potatoes and corn are boiled now.
(Pro tip: Press the potatoes and corn to check if they are boiled.)
3. Transfer them onto a plate. Cut the boiled potatoes into small pieces. Ready to mix all the ingredients together.
4. Take a mixing bowl and add the boiled corn first, followed by the boiled potatoes.
5. Next, add the chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, and peanuts.
6. Add the masalas, roasted homemade spices, rock salt, and chaat masala.
(Pro tip: Do not add the besan sev at this moment, as it may become mushy.)
7. Squeeze lemon juice over the mixture.
(Pro tip: I used Gandharaj lemon, but you can use regular lime. You can also add tamarind paste or sweet tamarind pickle according to your taste preference.)
8. Mix all the ingredients properly. Finally, sprinkle the besan sev on top. Corn Chaat is ready.
More Ways to Enjoy It
- Often, I include boiled chickpeas in the recipe to make a more substantial chaat.
- Sometimes I add some chopped raw mango for a sweet contrast.
Corn Chaat Recipe Tips & Tricks for Success
Q: My corn feels hard in step 2. What is the issue here?
A: Sometimes older corn will need a little longer cooking. Cook the kernels for a bit longer before draining.
Q: My chaat does not taste good after adding the masalas in step 6. How do I fix this?
A: Ensure that you mix all the masala gently but thoroughly together to make sure the spices are covered on the corn, potatoes and chopped vegetables.
Q: Can I prepare any of the ingredients for the chaat in advance and store them?
A: Yes. Chop up your veggies and store them covered. Mix everything together while serving.
Recipe Card:
Corn Chaat
Ingredients
To boil:
- Corn kernel or bhutta: 1 cup or 150 gm regular corn
- Potato: 2 pieces medium size, approximately 250 to 300 gm (peeled, cut and cleaned)
- Water: 4 to 5 cups or as much as required to boil the corn kernels and potatoes
To Chop:
- Onion: 1 piece medium size, approximately 100 g (peeled and chopped)
- Tomato: 1 piece medium size, approximately 100 gm, chopped
- Coriander leaves: ¼ cup or 15 gm (chopped)
- Green chilies: 3 pieces chopped, approximately 1 tbsp
- Cucumber: 1 piece medium size, approximately 150 g, (chopped)
The Spice Mix:
- Roasted homemade spice powder: 1 tsp made with coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chili, all first dry roasted and then ground
For Mixing and Topping:
- Peanuts: ¼ cup about 35 to 40 gm
- Besan sev or jhuri bhaja: ½ cup about 35 to 40 gm
- Lemon: ½ piece medium size (cut into four pieces)
- Rock salt: ½ tbsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Chaat masala: 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Heat the wok and add 4 to 5 cups of water to it. Add corn and potatoes to simmering water, cover, and let it boil for about 8 to 10 minutes on a medium heat. (Pro tip: Use the Chandramukhi variety of potato as it boils quickly. Cut the potatoes lightly for faster boiling. Corn also boils quickly. If you prefer, you can boil the potatoes separately. You can add some salt at this moment if desired.)
- Open the lid, and you’ll notice that most of the water has evaporated. Both the potatoes and corn are boiled now. (Pro tip: Press the potatoes and corn to check if they are boiled.)
- Transfer them onto a plate. Cut the boiled potatoes into small pieces. Ready to mix all the ingredients together.
- Take a mixing bowl and add the boiled corn first, followed by the boiled potatoes.
- Next, add the chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, and peanuts.
- Add the masalas, roasted homemade spices, rock salt, and chaat masala. (Pro tip: Do not add the besan sev at this moment, as it may become mushy.)
- Squeeze lemon juice over the mixture. (Pro tip: I used Gandharaj lemon, but you can use regular lime. You can also add tamarind paste or sweet tamarind pickle according to your taste preference.)
- Mix all the ingredients properly. Finally, sprinkle the besan sev on top. Corn Chaat is ready.
