Bhutte ka Keesभुट्टे का कीस

Name: Bhutte ka Kees
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Madhya Pradesh
Ingredients: 3 cups (about 3 medium cobs) fresh sweet corn, grated off the cob — मक्के का कीस; ½ cup full-fat milk — दूध; 2 tbsp ghee — घी; ½ tsp mustard seeds — राई; 10–12 fresh leaves curry leaves — कड़ी पत्ता; 2 green chillies, finely chopped — हरी मिर्च; 1 tsp grated ginger — अदरक; ¼ tsp turmeric powder — हल्दी; 1 tsp sugar — चीनी; to taste salt — नमक; for garnish fresh coriander and grated coconut — धनिया और नारियल; 1 tsp, to finish lemon juice — नींबू

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 15m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Your Food Lab (YouTube)

Bhutte ka Kees is Indore's proudest street snack — raw corn grated directly off the cob, cooked with milk, ghee, and a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves until it becomes a soft, fragrant savour that the city eats by the plateful on every corner. The word kees means to grate, and Indori vendors grate fresh corn at their stalls and cook to order. Nothing in the dish is complex; everything in the dish is specific.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪fresh sweet corn, grated off the cob — मक्के का कीस3 cups (about 3 medium cobs)
▪full-fat milk — दूध½ cup
▪ghee — घी2 tbsp
▪mustard seeds — राई½ tsp
▪curry leaves — कड़ी पत्ता10–12 fresh leaves
▪green chillies, finely chopped — हरी मिर्च2
▪grated ginger — अदरक1 tsp
▪turmeric powder — हल्दी¼ tsp
▪sugar — चीनी1 tsp
▪salt — नमकto taste
▪fresh coriander and grated coconut — धनिया और नारियलfor garnish
▪lemon juice — नींबू1 tsp, to finish

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Fresh corn on the cob is essential for the characteristic texture — frozen corn kernels, even processed in a food processor, will lack the natural starch and milk that help the kees set. If fresh cobs are unavailable, frozen corn can work in a pinch: pulse briefly in a blender (do not fully blend), then proceed as normal, reducing the added milk to 2–3 tbsp since frozen corn has more water.
Curry leaves: Available fresh or frozen at Indian grocery stores internationally. Dried curry leaves have almost no flavour — if unavailable, omit entirely and add a few torn basil leaves at the end for aroma.
Grated coconut for garnish: Frozen grated coconut (widely available in Indian stores in the USA and UK) is a good substitute for fresh. Desiccated coconut lacks moisture; soak briefly in warm water before using.

Method

1Grate the raw corn cobs on the fine side of a box grater. Hold the cob vertically and press firmly — you want the corn pulp and its milky juice, not just the kernels.
2Heat ghee in a heavy pan or kadhai over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter.
3Add curry leaves and green chilli — stand back, they will pop. Stir in the grated ginger for 30 seconds.
4Add the grated corn along with its juice. Stir well to coat in the tempering.
5Pour in the milk. Add turmeric, sugar, and salt. Stir continuously on medium heat to prevent sticking at the bottom.
6Cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, the raw corn smell cooks out, and it pulls away slightly from the pan sides, about 8–10 minutes. The texture should be moist but not wet.
7Squeeze lemon juice over the kees, stir once, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh coriander and grated coconut. Serve hot.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.