Tandoori Corn on the Grate
Charred corn, a spiced mayo coating, and a hard squeeze of lime. Ten minutes over coals.
- calories
- 280
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 35
- protein
- 5 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 17 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Dinner
- Grill grate
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Corn on the cob | 2 ears | leave the husks on until camp; they keep the kernels from drying out |
|---|---|---|
| Mayonnaise | 3 tbsp | single-serve packets, or a squeeze bottle from the cooler |
| Tandoori masala | 2 tsp | |
| Kashmiri red chili powder | 1 tsp | color more than heat |
| Cumin powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Chaat masala | 1/2 tsp | goes on after the fire, not before |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | |
| Lime | 1 | or a packet of lime juice |
Method
- Burn the fire down to coals and set the grate about four inches above them. Flames will scorch the coating before the corn cooks.
- Strip the husks and silk. Stir the mayo with the tandoori masala, chili, cumin, garlic powder, and salt in a mug or the empty mayo packet.
- Lay the bare ears on the grate. Turn them every two minutes until the kernels are spotted brown all around, about eight minutes.
- Pull the ears off, coat them all over with the spiced mayo, and put them back for two or three minutes a side. The coating should blister and darken.
- Dust with chaat masala and squeeze the lime over the top while they are still hot.
Tandoori cooking is really two things: a fatty, acidic coating and dry heat close enough to blister it. A campfire grate does the second part fine. The first part is where the trail version diverges from the original, which leans on thick yogurt. Yogurt does not travel, so mayo stands in. It is fat and acid in the same proportions, it holds spice the same way, and it browns faster.
The corn goes on naked first for a reason. Coating raw corn means the spices burn long before the kernels give up any sweetness. Char first, coat second, and the mayo only has to be on the fire long enough to set. Chaat masala is added off the heat because its black salt and amchur go flat and bitter over coals.
Packing
Combine the tandoori masala, chili, cumin, garlic powder, and salt in one small bag at home; keep the chaat masala in a second bag so it stays a finishing spice. Corn rides in the cooler or, for a day or two, just in the husk in the food bin.
Variations
- No corn? The same coating works on halved potatoes parboiled at home, or on thick slices of onion.
- Swap the mayo for 3 tbsp of coconut milk powder mixed with a splash of water and a squeeze of lime to keep it vegan.
https://cookpad.com/in-hi/search/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%82