1tablespoon tamarind date chutney- to serve (recipe in notes)
1tablespoonSev- to serve / optional
1 teaspoon Sriracha- to serve / optional
Instructions
Remove the husk on the corn cobs and trim the end with a knife. Place the sweet corn vertically on a chopping board resting on the trimmed end. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice and remove the corn kernels. You should get approximately 2 cups (300g) corn kernels from both corn cobs.
Heat oil on high in a small wok.
Reserve a tablespoon of onion and set it aside for later. Add the remaining onion to the hot wok and sauté for 15 seconds until it is glazed.
Add tomato, corn kernels and green chilli. Mix well. Sauté for a further 15 seconds.
Add chilli powder, chaat masala, garam masala, cumin and salt to the wok. Toss and mix well. Cook on high, tossing constantly for approximately 2 minutes until corn kernels are just cooked.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and mix well.
Spoon the corn chaat onto a rimmed serving plate. Drizzle with tamarind and date chutney and Sriracha. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, reserved chopped onion and sev. Serve immediately while still warm.
Notes
Corn - Use fresh corn on the cob. If you can't find any, use canned and drained corn kernels and make sure you drain it for at least 10 minutes so it has minimum to no liquid. If substituting with frozen corn kernels, thaw them quickly by soaking in hot water for 1-2 minutes and draining.
Chilli - I use long green cayenne chilli. This is like Serrano chilli and has a mild heat. I leave the seeds on but if you prefer less spicy, deseed the chilli and rinse it before using.
Tomato & Onion - These are the base salad veggies for most chaat dishes. Red or white onion are perfect. Fresh tomatoes are best. Do not use canned tomatoes.
Coriander - Or cilantro as is known in many parts of the world is the herb of choice for chaats. Substituting with parsley or other herbs doesn't taste the same.
Chilli powder - Kashmiri red chilli powder has a wonderful aroma and heat. If you find it too spicy or cannot source it, cayenne chilli powder, sweet paprika or Gochugaru are all good substitutes.
Amchur- Amchur or amchoor is dried mango powder. It has a savoury, tangy, sweet and sour taste and is the trademark of most chaat dishes. It can be substituted with chaat masala which is readily available in Indian specialty store or at spice merchants.
Garam masala and ground cumin - Both are readily available in most spice sections of supermarkets or Indian stores.
Nylon Sev or Sev - These are fine fried chickpea noodles that are used as a topping for chaat dishes. They are crispy and have a savoury, salty taste. They can be sourced at Indian grocery stores. If you can't find them, use Chinese fried noodles instead.
Tamarind Date Chutney - This is a sweet and sour tangy chutney used to top chaat dishes. You can source this at Indian grocery store.
Tamarind Date Chutney Recipe - Bring 1 cup pitted dates, 1.5 cups water, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste,1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin,1 teaspoon ginger powder,1 teaspoon fennel powder and ½ teaspoon amchur or chat masala to a gentle boil. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Add 1/2 cup water and blend to a smooth pourable consistency.