Steaming corn

His entire menu starts and ends with corn. With just two variants — American corn and baby corn, Mahadev churns out many dishes, but what he keeps in mind is the hygiene and the health factor. That’s why the corn is first roasted on coal in its skin.

It’s something all cornwallas do. But Mahadev brings in his uniqueness by skillfully cutting the corn in the middle and spicing it up with either chaat masalas, pepper or minty green chutney. Another innovative aspect is the mechanised fan attached to the cart, which speeds up the process of roasting. “It’s something I picked up from my ‘guru’, who used to do this in V V Puram,” he says.

The menu ranges from butter corn, masala corn, and even pineapple and mango corn. “Depending on the season, I mix corn with fruit and add chaat masala to it. The popular picks are pineapple, raw mango and cucumber,” he adds. There is also an item called the ‘China corn’ which he has innocently spelt as cheena corn. This dish is for those with a love for spice. Here, the corn is mixed with a spicy red chutney (hence, the usage of the word ‘China’), which leaves a tangy taste in your mouth.

The baby corn dishes are a must try too. These are also roasted first with the skin on. Instead of cutting the corn into pieces, Mahadev adds the required masala to it and serves it with a tooth-pick. “It’s a popular pick among many children as it is fun for them to play with and healthy to eat,” he says.

And what is his recommendation? “The corn bhel, as it’s a great mixture of masalas, cucumber and chutneys. It is filling also,” he suggests. The prices range from Rs 20 to Rs 35. The rush hour starts after 6.30 in the evening and he is there till 9 in the night.