Indian Roasted Corn or Street Style Masala Bhutta is an Indian way of eating corn on the cob where freshly roasted/grilled, buttered cobs are brushed vigorously and generously with a homemade spice blend.
This spice mix is made by combining 3 ingredients — salt, red chili powder, and chaat masala powder.
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If you are bored with regular corn on the cob, then you are simply missing the flavor punch. Try this masala bhutta or roasted masala corn next time and you would always make roasted corn this way. It’s worth a try!
It makes a wonderful vegetarian and gluten-free BBQ side. Plus, it can be made vegan with one modification.
Just dip the lemon or lime slice generously into spice and then squeeze and rub the lemon over each freshly roasted buttered corn and your Indian roasted corn is ready.
About Indian Roasted Corn Recipe
Indian Roasted Corn or Masala Bhutta aka Sika Bhutta is a popular street food in India during the monsoon. Street vendors roast the bhutta corn on an open coal fire or open grill. After that, they rub the hot roasted corn with a pre-made masala powder (spice mix).
My Street Style Masala Bhutta or Indian Style Roasted Corn On The Cob Recipe is delicious roasted corn on the cob with lemon/lime juice, red chili powder, pink salt, and some chaat masala powder.
This spicy Indian version of roasted corn is quite different from regular corn on the cob as it is laden with flavorful spices.
The bright, spicy, lemony, and chili flavor of this Indian roasted corn comes from a special spice mix prepared with red chili powder, salt, and chaat masala powder. This spice mix boosts the flavor of simple, monotonous corn on the cob.
Eating roasted masala corn or bhutta masala is one of my favorite ways to enjoy corn on the cob when they are in season!
Rainy season and piping hot roasted corn with some piping hot masala chai is a real thing in Northern India. And why not? This spicy taste of masala bhutta makes it a snack to live for. And drinking a piping hot masala chai after eating spicy bhutta complements the spiciness and gives you enough warmth in the cold weather.
In India, it is usually roasted on an open fire until charred. But I only have an induction and elective stove at home, so what I do is that I put a steel roaster (papad jali) directly on the stove and roast until the corn is charred.
There are many other ways to roast corn. Roasting corn can also be done in an open grill, panini maker, or griddle pan. You can also use broiler mode in the oven to get charred corn.
Other than this roasted corn I love to use corn in many recipes. Some of my favorites are: Corn Pakora, Corn Chaat, Grated Corn Stir Fry, Indian Cheese Corn Toast, and Pepper Corn Arugula Pizza with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Mushroom Pepper Corn Masala.
This Indian roasted corn
✔︎ is very easy and simple
✔︎ is loaded with spicy and tangy flavors
✔︎ can be enjoyed as a tea-time snack
✔︎ makes a wonderful party snack
✔︎ is gluten-free, and vegetarian
✔︎ can also be made vegan with a little change
✔︎ is ready in under 15 minutes
Indian Roasted Masala Corn Ingredients
This Indian roasted masala corn is made with 4 simple ingredients. These ingredients are:
Corn on the cob - Use plump and milky corn. They are sweet, and taste good after roasting and seasoning with spices.
Butter - Butter adds such a nice buttery taste to this roasted corn and it balances the overall spicy taste.
Lemon/lemon - Roasted corn is coated with freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice. You can choose any.
Spice mix - Homemade spice mix needs salt (I used Himalayan pink salt), red chili powder, and chaat masala powder.
How To Roast Corns
Roasting corn perfectly at home is very simple. You can roast it on an open fire, or roast it using an open grill, griddle pan or broil in the oven. This is how you can roast corns at home:
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Preparation - Remove the husk and silks from the corn ears. Your corn is ready for roasting.
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Open fire roasted corn on the cob – Place the steel roaster on the flame or directly place the corn on the open fire. Roast until charred while rotating it every 40-50 seconds. Keep roasting until charred.
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Oven roasted corn on the cob - Place the corn on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until cooked. Then take out the corn and place them on a top rack and broil on high speed for 1 minute on each side. Keep boiling until charred.
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Grill roasted corn - Preheat the outdoor grill. Wrap the husked corn in the aluminum foil or place them directly on the grill. Roast them until evenly charred from all sides.
After roasting, brush the hot roasted corn with butter or vegan butter for buttery flavors. And then dab a lemon slice in spice mix and rub it over the roasted corn until all sides are well seasoned.
You can get detailed step-by-step photo instructions and a video recipe to make the best Indian Roasted Corn in the recipe box on this page.
How to make the spice mix for Roasted Corn
Making a spice mix for roasted corn is very simple. Just mix some spices and it’s done. This is how you can make your own spice mix:
In a bowl, add red chili powder, salt, and chaat masala powder, and mix until combined. The spice mix is ready. You can store it in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.
Other spices you can add to this mix are roasted cumin powder, dried mint powder, black pepper powder, and amchur powder.
Indian Street Style Corn Variations
Other than rubbing roasted corn with spice mix, you can enjoy them with different toppings. Below are the different variations you can try:
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Roasted Corn with Chutney - You can smear hot roasted corn with some mint coriander chutney or red garlic chutney for a spicier version.
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Roasted Corn Chaat - Cut the hot roasted corn kernel and place them on a plate. Top with chopped onions, chopped green chilies, and chopped cilantro. Then drizzle with thick whisked yogurt, tamarind chutney, and coriander chutney and sprinkle with chaat masala powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, salt, and chaat masala powder. Finally, sprinkle with sev and serve immediately.
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Salt & Pepper - Simply sprinkle the roasted corn with salt and pepper.
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Roasted Corn with Sauce - Drizzle roasted corn with different sauces such as sriracha sauce, schezwan sauce, mayonnaise, and tomato ketchup.
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Roasted Corn Salad - You can use roasted corn kernels in your favorite salad. Or use it as a topping in roasted corn cream cheese flatbread.
Serving suggestion
You can relish Indian-style roasted corn as a tea-time snack, brunch, or even as a starter with some hot chai or coffee.
Tips & tricks to make the best Roasted Corn recipe
You can also top the hot roasted corn with freshly grated coconut.
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Enjoy roasted corn immediately after roasting, they taste best when they are hot. After cooling, roasted corns lose their freshness. So roast corn only when you are about to serve.
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Boil - You can also par-boil before roasting. It saves the roasting time. It is usually done when the kernels are hard.
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Adjust the amount of seasoning according to your taste buds. I personally prefer it to be tangy and spicy.
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Corns can also be air-fried or baked.
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Topping - You can sprinkle roasted corn with freshly grated coconut or cheese.
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Butter - You can replace butter with olive oil, coconut oil, or any other vegan butter.
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Chili powder - You can replace red chili powder with cayenne pepper or smoked paprika.
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Chaat masala powder - If you don’t have chaat masala powder, you can swap it with amchur powder.
FAQ
Can I make Indian roasted masala corn vegan?
Yes! You can make it vegan by swapping butter with coconut oil, margarine, or other vegan butter substitutes. You can also completely omit the butter.
Is roasted corn healthy?
Corn is low in carbs and is a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber. So roasted corn is a nutritious, delicious, and healthy snack.
Do I need to boil corn before roasting it?
Boiling corn is not needed if you are using fresh and plump corn. When roasted on an open fire, roasted corn on the cob comes out perfectly charred.
Indian Style Roasted Corn - Masala Bhutta (Step-by-step photo instructions)
Prepare sweet corns
- To take the cobs out of the husks, hold the corn ear and de-husk it by grabbing the leaves and pulling it down. Also, remove the corn silk as much as possible. Repeat with all the corn ears and set them aside.
Make spice mix
- Combine the red chili powder, salt (1/2 tsp), and chaat masala powder in a small mixing bowl. You can make a large batch and store this spice mix for up to 1 month in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Roast corn
- Place the corn on a wire roaster or on the open fire and roast over medium-high heat. Rotate the corn every 40-50 seconds so the corn gets roasted evenly. Keep rotating and roasting until all the sides are charred & cooked evenly. Alternatively, you can also roast corn on an outdoor grill, griddle pan, or in the oven.
Serving Indian Style Roasted Corn
- Once roasted, brush each corn nicely with butter while they are hot. After that, dip the lemon half in the prepared spice mix to coat with spices. Brush the spice mix lemon all over the corn until all the sides are generously-coated with the spice mix. Make sure to slightly squeeze down the lemon while brushing to release the juice. Dab the lemon again in the spice mix as many times as needed. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & serve hot!
Recipe Card
Indian Style Roasted Corn - Masala Bhutta [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 5 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Snacks | Indian | 4 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 102 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For roasted sweet corn
- 3-4 sweet corn ears
- Lemon or lime halved & seeds removed
- 2 teaspoon red chili powder/paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as per taste
- 2 teaspoons chaat masala powder
- 1 tablespoon butter/olive oil/coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare sweet corns
- To take the cobs out of the husks, hold the corn ear and de-husk it by grabbing the leaves and pulling it down. Also, remove the corn silk as much as possible. Repeat with all the corn ears and set them aside.
Make spice mix
- Combine the red chili powder, salt (1/2 tsp), and chaat masala powder in a small mixing bowl. You can make a large batch and store this spice mix for up to 1 month in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Roast corn
- Place the corn on a wire roaster or on the open fire and roast over medium-high heat. Rotate the corn every 40-50 seconds so the corn gets roasted evenly. Keep rotating and roasting until all the sides are charred & cooked evenly. Alternatively, you can also roast corn on an outdoor grill, griddle pan, or in the oven.
Serving Indian Style Roasted Corn
- Once roasted, brush each corn nicely with butter while they are hot. After that, dip the lemon half in the prepared spice mix to coat with spices. Brush the spice mix lemon all over the corn until all the sides are generously-coated with the spice mix. Make sure to slightly squeeze down the lemon while brushing to release the juice. Dab the lemon again in the spice mix as many times as needed. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & serve hot!
WATCH RECIPE VIDEO: Click the play button and video will load ...
NOTES:
- Eat roasted corn immediately after roasting, they taste best when they are hot. After cooling, roasted corns lose their freshness. So roast corn only when you are about to serve.
- Adjust the amount of seasoning according to your taste buds. I personally prefer it to be tangy and spicy.
- You can sprinkle roasted corn with freshly grated coconut or cheese.
- You can replace butter with olive oil, coconut oil, or any other vegan butter.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/indian-roasted-corn-on-the-cob-masala-bhutta/