Growing up we only knew one type of corn, which was not as sweet nor as juicy as the now ubiquitous American sweet corn. The field corn, in spite of being tougher and leaner, was synonymous with monsoon picnics under waterfalls and treks into the nearby lush green mountains. Bhutta (corn) was ordered from the bhutta seller who sat on top of her wooden cart, fanning the flames of a coal fire, sheltering from the rain while thrusting ears of corn into the hot coals. The aroma of this slightly burned bhutta, smeared with salt, red chili powder, and a squirt of lime juice would add a special kind of romance to this magical season and we would chew it slowly (because it was quite tough) as we trekked along, splashing through puddles and wiping our faces with wet, salty hands. Now I know: sweet corn is what we eat and cook with and field corn is mainly used in cow feed and chips. While I love steamed and roasted corn on the cob, I also enjoy cooking with corn as it brings a texture that is crunchy and sweet at the same time.

In Colorado, Olathe sweet corn is the sweetest and juiciest and is harvested around the same time as Palisade peaches, i.e. at the end of summer.

“Olathe” is the Shawnee Indian name for “beautiful.” The present-day site of Olathe was at one time a Ute village, with plenty of hunting and fishing. In the late 1870’s, Western expansion brought settlers to Western Colorado because of the gold and silver boom, and settlers began to build small homesteads to raise their families. The Utes were forcibly relocated and agriculture by white settlers began to thrive.

On some busy harvest days, migrant workers can pick up to a million ears of corn. As soon as it is picked, the corn is rushed out of the field, cooled, packed in ice slush, then spirited off to stores within the state of Colorado and buyers swoop as many ears as they possibly can to cook, steam, crush or puree!!

These tikkis or cutlets are similar to the Beetroot or Root Vegetable Patties shared on this blog and are perfect appetizers or a tea-time snack.

• 

• 

• 

Step by Step

Preparing the corn:

1. Shuck 2 ears of corn by removing the husks and the silken tassels (or beard)
2. To steam the corn either:
   • place in 2″ of water and pressure cook for one whistle or
   • place in 2″ of water in an instant pot and cook on High Pressure for 5 mins or
   • bring 2″ of water to a boil in a large pot, place the corn in a steamer, cover and cook till tender, about 5-7 mins
3. Once the corn is cooked, remove from the water and let cool
4. To remove the kernels, place the corn on a flat surface, point down, and run a sharp knife from the top to the bottom on all sides of the ear till all the kernels are separated
5. Boil one large potato in a pressure cooker or an instant pot. Allow to cool.
6. Peel and grate the potato. Set aside.
7. Finely chop
   • 1/4 cup onion
   • 1/4 cup tomato
   • 2 green chilis
8. Grate 1 tsp ginger or use readymade ginger paste
9. Grate 1 tsp garlic or use readymade garlic paste

• 

• 

• 

10. Place the onions, tomatoes, green chilis and corn kernels in a blender and give it a quick whirr. We want to retain the textures of the veggies but also want to mash the corn a bit.

• 

• 

• 

11. Pour the blended veggies into a large bowl
12. Add the masalas:
    • 1 tsp red chili powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • 1 tsp chaat masala (optional)
    • 1.5 tsp salt
13. Take 1 slice of bread and crumble it into small pieces, add to the veggies
14. Add the ginger and garlic pastes

• 

• 

• 

15. Add the grated potato ( I had forgotten the cumin powder earlier so added it after the potato was grated)
16. Mix everything by hand and make small balls (about 1/3 cup each)
17. Flatten each ball into a squat patty

• 

• 

• 

18. Heat a large pan and add 1/3 cup oil to it, allow it to heat
19. Slide the patties into the hot oil and allow them to shallow fry to a deep golden brown color

20. Flip to fry the other side
21. Remove and set them on a kitchen towel to drain
22. Serve hot with a dollop of cilantro-mint chutney or any other sauce