"Indian Summer" Corn Salad

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While most people think of summer and get excited about days spent at the beach, hot weather, etc., I get excited about trips to my local farmer's market and all the amazing fruit and vegetables I will find.  There's nothing that beats eating foods that in in season; my husband and I even prefer going to restaurants that regularly change their menu based on what is in season.  And what is in season right now is sweet summer corn!

Growing up, my father would regularly make bhutas for us -- whole ears of grilled corn, slathered with butter, fresh lime juice, salt, and lal mirch (cayenne pepper).  Before we finally purchased a grill, he would roast each ear of corn over an open gas flame from our stove, carefully using tongs to hold the ear and rotate it over the fire. 

I used my memories of bhutas as the inspiration for this recipe:  a grilled corn summer salad.  Not only is the corn in season, but so are the tomatoes and avocados.  That makes for a delicious and fresh-tasting salad!

Start off by removing the ear(s) of corn from the husk and soaking it in water for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.  This will help the corn kernels stay moist when you grill it.

After soaking the ear of corn, wrap it in aluminum foil to keep the moisture in.  Then cook the corn over high heat on an outdoor grill, grill pan, roasting over a flame using tongs, or roasting in an oven.  I chose the grill pan method, and over medium-high heat I was able to cook the wrapped ear of corn in 10 to 15 minutes.

While the corn cooks, chop the tomatoes, green onions, and avocado.  Cut the lemon into wedges.  If using canned chickpeas, rinse the chickpeas in water.

Once the cob has cooked in the foil, you can remove the foil and place the corn directly on the grill, grill pan, flame, or oven.  This will give your corn that nice smokey char.  I also rubbed olive oil over the ear of corn before I put it directly on the grill pan.

Once the corn has enough char for you, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.  When it is cool enough to handle with your hands, use a knife to cut off the kernels; I would do this directly over your salad bowl because the kernels tend to start flying everywhere!

Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and green onions.  Don't add the avocado yet--it will become mushy if you add it too early.  Also squeeze in the fresh lemon juice.  Stir to combine.

Add the salt, lal mirch or cayenne pepper, tamarind chutney, and cilantro chutney.  Stir and toss to coat and combine.

At this point, taste the salad.  Add more salt, lal mirch, chutney, or lemon juice as needed.  Once the salad has the right taste for you, add the chopped avocado and then very lightly toss to combine.

Voila!  So simple and easy to make.  The only thing that is faster than making this salad is how fast you (or your husband, ahem) will eat it up!  It can be eaten plain as a salad, with papdi as a form of chaat, or even as a salsa with tortilla chips!!  So eat while it--and summer--lasts :)

Ingredients (for 2 people):

Ingredients (for 4 people):

• 2 ears of corn
• 1 cup chickpeas
• Tomatoes, enough for 1 cup chopped
• 4 green onion/scallion sprigs
• 1 avocado
• Juice from ½ a lemon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp lal mirch or cayenne pepper
• 2 tsps spicy cilantro chutney
• 2 tsps tamarind chutney
• Olive oil (for brushing on corn)

• 4 ears of corn
• 2 cups chickpeas
• Tomatoes, enough for 2 cups chopped
• 1 bunch green onions/scallions
• 2 avocados
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lal mirch or cayenne pepper
• 4 tsps spicy cilantro chutney
• 4 tsps tamarind chutney
• Olive oil (for brushing on corn)

Other optional ingredients:  cilantro leaves, sev, fried channa dal, pomegranate seeds.

Equipment:

• Grill, grill pan, gas stove with accessible flame, or oven
• Aluminum foil
• Tongs
• Knife

Recipe:

1. Remove the ears of corn from the husk and soak in water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. 
2. After soaking, wrap each ear of corn in aluminum foil.  Cook the corn on a grill, grill pan, in an oven, or over the flame of a gas stove using tongs.  I used a grill pan and set the corn on the pan for roughly 15 minutes.
3. While the wrapped corn cooks, chop the tomatoes, green onions, and avocado.
4. Cut the lemon into wedges.
5. If using canned chickpeas, rinse the chickpeas in water.
6. Once the corn is cooked, remove it from the foil.  Brush the corn with olive oil and place the unwrapped corn back on the grill, grill pan, oven, or open flame in order to char some of the corn kernels.
7. Once sufficiently charred, allow the corn to cool. 
8. Once cool enough to be handled, cut the corn with a knife over a bowl.  The kernels will fall right off the ear and into the bowl.
9. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, green onions, and lemon juice.  Stir to combine.
10. Add the salt, lal mirch or cayenne pepper, tamarind chutney, and spicy cilantro chutney.  Stir to combine.
11. Taste the salad and add more salt, lal mirch, chutney, or lemon juice as needed.
12. Add the avocado and gently fold into the salad.