Holy Cow – I have a treat for you! My friend, Pragati Bidkar, author and recipe developer behind the food blog KamalKitchen, has published yet another eCookbook entitled Chai Street – Indian Street Food For Vegans and Vegetarians. It is loaded with delicious and tempting recipes based on celebrated street foods found throughout India. And, lucky me, I got a sneak peak at her latest creation!
Every time I read one of Pragati’s books, I’m introduced to new, intoxicating flavors from this centuries’ old cuisine. And even if your kitchen, like mine, doesn’t contain the wide variety of ingredients a traditional Indian pantry boasts, with a bit of improvisation, you can re-create many of these tasty and decadent dishes at home.
I found a new favorite blend of spices called Chat Masala, which Pragati features in her Corn Bhel – aka Corn “Hottie”. While there are many spice combinations which can be used to make a chat masala, the featured ingredients are amchoor powder (dried mango) and black salt. I wish I had these sitting in my cupboard, but I don’t. So I took some liberties in creating my own humble version based on what I had available – pureed mango and Himalayan Pink Salt. I know my concoction is missing the depth of flavor a true chat masala offers, but if my version is even a fraction as delicious as the real thing, you won’t be disappointed!
Here’s what I used for my chat masala blend (see recipe below):
A true chat masala is all powder, but since I used pureed mango, it turned into a paste. I used a coffee grinder to blend all of the ingredients together – except the mango. Then mixed it together to come up with an awesome tasting condiment!
This sweet and tangy Corn Bhel delivers loads of flavor with a bit of spicy hot awesomeness that can be eaten straight up as a healthy snack. I think you’ll love it!
Thanks, Pragati, for sharing this recipe and congratulations on another beautiful cookbook (wait until you see her mouth-watering photos!) that will delight all lovers of authentic Indian food!
Homemade Chat Masala Paste Ingredients (makes about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 tablespoon mango powder (or 1/4 cup pureed mango – fresh or frozen)
1/2 tablespoon black salt (or Himalayan Pink Salt)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
Blend all dry spices in a coffee grinder. Mix thoroughly with pureed mango. Store extra in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze, for later use.
Corn Bhel Ingredients (make about 5 – 6 cups) adapted from recipe by Pragati Bidkar
3 cups sweet corn (fresh or frozen – thawed)
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced sweet or red onion
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Chat Masala powder (or 1 tablespoon Homemade Chat Masala Paste, see recipe above)
1 – 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
cilantro garnish
Directions
- Boil fresh corn until cooked (3 – 5 minutes) or thaw frozen sweet corn. Place in a mixing bowl.
- Add chat masala, paprika or cayenne pepper (depending on desired spice level), and lime juice to the corn and mix well.
- Add diced vegetables and mix until well blender.
- Serve hot or chilled with cilantro garnish. May also be served with a green chutney or tamarind chutney for extra flavor!
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