Corn Chaat

When we were in Bangalore, after returning home from work, I used to feel very tired and hungry at the same time. Making arrangements for an elaborate cooking preparation would be the last thing hovering in my mind. Most of the time, I used to cook meal that would last up to the day after, giving me little respite from cooking dinner the next day. Lunches were mostly done in office. Often, especially during the rainy days when Bangalore traffic literally would come to a dead stop holding me up for home, dog-tired when dragging the body down the stairs to our flat posed a herculean task for me, I would conceive of cooking something quick involving effortless preparation. This Corn Chaat was my favourite dinner in those days. Served in a bowl with two hard-boiled eggs, it used to fit in rightly for the occasion.

However, nowadays while having it over dinner I deliberately avoid the eggs to save myself from allowing more calories into my body than necessary. (I love the egg yolks and without it eating eggs seems a bland affair.)

Ingredients:                                 Cooking time:10 minutes ü  500 gm corn kernels ü  1 large tomato (chopped) ü  1 onion (chopped) ü  3-4 green chillies or less, depending on your tolerance level (finely chopped) ü  1 cucumber (chopped) ü  1 tsp paprika or dry red chilli powder (optional) ü  Black pepper, taste wise ü  Salt to taste ü  1 tsp olive oil Method: 1) Heat olive oil in a wok. Add onion and tomato. Shallow fry. 2) Add corn kernels, green chillies, black pepper, paprika (if using) and salt. Toss them well. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3) Turn off the heat. Mix in cucumber before serving the chat in a bowl.