This is my must have shaak everytime I go visit my parents. I love the way my mum makes it, and this is how she taught me to make it. My recreation doesn’t taste exactly like hers but this is a childhood favourite of mine and I believe my Makai nu Shaak is becoming more like my mother’s with time.

Makai Nu Shaak
Ingredients
- Corn on the cob – 4
- Sweet corn kernels – 1½ cup
- Peanuts – 1 cup
- Fresh tomato purée – 2 cup
- Water – 4 cup
- Besan (gram flour/chickpea flour) – 1 tsp
- Oil – 3 tbsp
- Turmeric powder – 1½ tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli – 2
- Kashmiri red chilli powder – 2 tsp
- Green chilli – 1
- Cumin powder – 2 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Half lime
- Fresh coriander
Method:
- Boil or pressure cook (3 whistles) 4 corn on the cobs with 1 1/2 cup of sweet corn kernels. Add 4 cups of water, 1 green chilli and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
- Once cooked, drain the water from the corn. Save it as you will use it for the gravy. Cut the corn into small pieces.
- Take 1 cup of raw peanuts and blend it into a coarse powder.
- In a pan add 3 tbsp oil, 2 dry red chilies and 1 tsp mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds pop.
- Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let it sauté for a few seconds then add 1 tsp besan and let it cook for a minute.
- Add blended peanuts powder and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium high flame.
- Add 2 cups of fresh tomato purée, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt, 2 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp coriander powder. Mix it all well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the gravy for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the corn and the saved corn water to the gravy. Cover the lid and bring it to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.
- Add half lime and garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- Enjoy the shaak with rice or roti.
Watch this recipe here – Makai Nu Shaak

Hina is an Aussie girl living in New York with her husband and 3 daughters. Being born in Kenya in a Gujarati immigrant family and moving to Australia at a young age, she saw 2 different worlds but her parents kept her rooted and connected to India through food and traditions.
She grew up watching her dad in the kitchen every Sunday morning. He loves cooking and she got the passion for food from him. The first thing she ever learned from him was making chai.
Translations and detailed descriptions are provided to give a better understanding of the story to people from different cultural backgrounds across the globe.