Corn arancini chaat is a delicious fusion recipe of Italian and Indian food. You’re probably questioning it but don’t knock it till you try it! It works so well. The creaminess and crispness from the arancini pairs so well with the chatapata flavors of chaat toppings! Seriously I kid you not, everyone was surprised when they tried it including me. Think about the flavors of corn chaat just amplified!
So here’s how I came up with this. I wanted to share a recipe on my parents anniversary which is something they both love. So I took their favorite foods, risotto and chaat and made this! And it works!!
An absolutely unique recipe that will make everyone so surprised and in love with it! A great vegetarian appetizer for parties, date nights, Super Bowl and chaat days!

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 8-9 servings

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Chilling Time: 3-5 hours

Total Time: 6-7 hours

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbsp veg/olive oil ; I used chili olive oil

• 1/2 cup chopped onions

• 2 tsp Garlic paste

• 1 tsp Ginger paste

• 1/2 cup arborio rice

• 2 tbsp cooking wine; optional

• 1 1/4-1 3/4 cup Veg broth 

• 1 tsp Salt as per taste

• 1/4 tsp Pepper

• 1 tsp Cumin powder

• 1/2-1 tsp Red chili powder

• 1/2 tsp Garam masala  

• 3/4-1 cup Corn 

• 2/3 cup milk 

• 1 cup Amul/Mozzarella Cheese

• 1/2-1 cup flour

• 1/2 cup milk

• 3/4th cup breadcrumbs

• Oil to deep fry

Assembly:

• Chopped Onions

• Chopped Tomato

• Tamarind Chutney

• Spicy coriander Chutney

• Chaat masala

• Red Chili powder

• Pomegranate seeds

• Sev

• Thinly sliced ginger

Directions: 

1. In a heavy bottom pan add oil on low-medium heat. In another pot heat the broth and leave it on a low simmer.

2. When oil is warm, add onions and cook for 2-3 mins till it starts sweating.

3. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for 2-3 mins till fragrant.

4. Add the arborio rice and toss it in. Add cooking wine and stir it in. Cook till the liquid evaporates. Check notes for alternatives to cooking wine.

5. Add 1/2 cup of broth and keep stirring in intervals till the liquid dissolves. Once it dissolves add another 1/2 cup of broth and mix.

6. Once the liquid dissolves add all the spices and corn and toss it together.

7. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of broth and cook it.

8. Check to see if the rice is almost cooked through. If it is, add milk and stir well. If it hasn’t add more broth till you get almost cooked rice.

9. Once the milk is almost cooked off, add cheese and stir it in.

10. Once the risotto is ready, pour it into another bowl/baking tray and cover it with cling wrap when cooled.

11. Let it set in the fridge for 3-5 hours till it holds its shape and has set well.

12. Once the risotto is set, divide it into 8-9 divisions.

13. Turn the oil to deep-fry on medium-high heat and while it heats up, coat the risotto to form the arancini.

14. Shape the risotto divisions into roundish shapes. Keep flour, milk and breadcrumbs in different bowls.

15. Coat each ball in flour, then cover with milk & finish with the coating of breadcrumbs.

16. Deep fry in hot oil. The temperature of the oil should be about 350F.

17. Deep fry till golden and crispy all over. Take them out on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

18. Let it cool for 20-30 mins.

19. Chaat-

    • Place the slightly cooled crispy balls on a plate and flatten with your palm.

    • Top the smashed arancini with onions, tomatoes.

    • Generously drizzle chutneys over them.

    • Sprinkle a good amount of chaat masala and red chili powder over it.

    • Top with sev, pomegranate seeds and ginger slice.

20. Serve & enjoy!

Notes/Tips:

• Be sure to keep stirring wile cooking the risotto. This helps to veg an evenly cooked one and prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

• The wine cooks off. You won’t taste it but it helps balance the flavors. You can skip it if you want.

• Replacements for the cooking white wine- use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar or half the amount of white wine.

• Keeping the stock on a low simmer helps the rice cook evenly and prevents slowing down the cooking process.

• Add the corn towards the end helps keep it shape and not become mush.

• Make sure the rice is almost cooked through before adding the milk.

• Do not overcook the rice or it can become very mushy.

• Make sure the rice is set before forming the balls for arancini.

• I like to let the arancini cool because I like the flavor of the chaat better once it’s cooled more than hot.

• Be generous with the chaat toppings.

• You can make the arancini from before and keep in an airtight container. It should not lose its crispness.