It's raining and you are longing for bhuttas already. Why not transcend borders and add a Mexican touch to your bhutta, allowing the age-old Indian favourite to unite with creamy mayonnaise and savoury cotija cheese to treat your senses? Prepare this fusion snack by pressure cooking the corn, then roasting it with butter and giving it a Mexican appeal, with mayonnaise and cotija cheese. And you are all set to devour made-in-India Mexican bhutta.
From the cultivation to the final smoky appetising taste, desi bhuttas, makkai or corn on the cob are filled with nutritional value and pure goodness. The indigenous corn or bhutta has more than 3000 varieties in India. However, the native bhuttas are different from sweet corn in their method of cultivation and nutritive value. Desi Bhuttas are cultivated just before the monsoon, consume lesser pesticides and chemicals and are harvested after attaining maturity, which ensures that the sugar gets converted into complex starch. Thus, consuming it does not lead to the spiking of blood sugar levels in the human body, while the fibre content improves blood glucose control and maintains the digestive tract. In India, bhuttas are typically roasted on an open flame, slathered with butter, sprinkled with pink salt, pepper and lemon juice and relished during monsoons.
But what about the Mexican connection? Well, makkai are not just hot favourites in India, but Mexico also boasts of a huge maize cultivation owing to their dishes like tortillas, quesadillas, tamales and tacos that use maize. The Mexican corn on the cob is called Elote and is a popular late-night snack and street food in Mexico. Elote is eaten after it is slathered with mayonnaise in lieu of butter and seasoned with chilli, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salty Cotija cheese and coriander leaves. Cotija cheese, which used in Mexican bhutta, is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk that becomes softer on heating but does not melt. It can be replaced with the readily available parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese in India.
Preparation: 35 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Servings: 1-2
Ingredients:
• 1 corn with the husk removed
• Water for boiling
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ to 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ lime juice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro or coriander
• 3 tbsp cotija cheese
• Red pepper flakes
Method:
1. Remove the husks of the corn properly. In a large pot, boil water with some salt.
2. Add corn to the pot, cover it with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes until it softens.
3. Place the boiled corn on a baking tray and brush it with butter.
4. Roast it for 5 to 10 minutes in butter till it is charred or dark spots appear.
5. In a small bowl, take mayonnaise and red chilli powder and mix well into a uniform paste.
6. Brush the roasted corn with some more butter and then drizzle lime juice all over it.
7. Apply the mayonnaise and chilli paste and sprinkle grated cotija cheese and chopped coriander.
8. Garnish with red pepper flakes and serve with mayonnaise or chutney of your choice.
Piping hot, juicy and earthy-tasting corn on the cob becomes more interesting with a Mexican touch. Spice up one of those enchanting rainy evenings with Mexican bhutta and a cup of tea by your side. You would be left wanting for more.
