The sweet and spicy flavors of this salad will tickle the palate and the beautiful array of colors will make it a showstopper at any Barbecue. As a Pakistani, the desire to add a touch of spices to everything is irresistible and I truly think it was with this in mind that Chaat Masala was created. A blend of Amchur (Mango Powder), Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, dried Ginger, Black Rock Salt, Citric Acid and Red Chili Powder, despite it's fairly strong smell (not for the faint of heart) this mix elevates the flavor of any food you add it to.
Quick and easy to prepare, this recipe is packed with nutrition. The corn brings lots of fibre, folate, niacin, potassium, B5 and B6 to this concoction and is surprisingly low on the glycemic index, despite having a fair amount of sugar in it. Similarly, the red onion and bell peppers contain tons of Vitamin C, with the peppers also being rich in B6, potassium, folate and even some K1, E and A vitamins.
To touch briefly on a few of these vitamins and minerals; Potassium helps maintain fluid balance and reduces blood pressure while Folate helps with the production of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow. Vitamin C helps the immune system, wound healing and repair of body tissue, maintenance of cartilage, bone and teeth and formation of collagen. Finally, the vitamin B family helps with cell metabolism, brain function and energy levels.
I can go on and on writing about the ingredients but you're probably ready to get chopping and try some of this. I usually make a large batch and feast on it for a day or so as none of the ingredients except the cilantro wilt. For that I would suggest adding a sprinkle of some fresh cilantro to your bowl if eating it the next day. A great salad to make ahead of time if you have company or to take to work for lunch the next day.
Corn Masala Chaat
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Corn
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 1 Orange bell pepper
- 1 Purple onion
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Chaat masala
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Cook the corn as per package instructions (I use frozen corn and steam it in the bag) and cool to room temperature
- Finely chop the peppers and onion and mix with the corn.
- Add the lemon juice, cilantro and spices (adjust the red chili powder and chaat masala as per your preference).
Nutrition
*There are many brands of Chaat Masala available but this is my preferred one and it's available at all Pakistani or Indian grocery stores as well as on Amazon
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