Cooking something that you want to keep juicy on an open grill doesn't always work to your benefit, says Meherwan Irani, the owner and executive chef of Chai Pani.
"You lose so many of the juices back into the grill," he says. "So what I've got at home is a piece of sheet metal that's well-seasoned, or you can find a flat piece of cast iron that you can put on your grill. Heat it up and put your burgers on that. The juices that come out of the burgers initially are reincorporated back into the burger as it cooks. A lot of kitchen stores are now selling square pieces of cast iron to put on grills for you to cook your burgers on."
Chai Pani makes a grilled lime corn that's a big hit on the kids’ menu, but just as popular with adults. It's a perfect Fourth of July treat. Here's how to do it at home:
Soak husk-on corn in water then grill it for 30-35 minutes. Turn the corn occasionally. When done, peel back the husk and rub corn with a little oil or butter, salt and pepper and smoked paprika or chili powder and a squeeze of lime. Or, dip a lime wedge in the salt, pepper and paprika and rub the corn with that.
Enjoy it on the cob, or cut the kernels off and make a salad with diced cucumbers, red onion, cilantro, diced tomato and crumbled tortilla chips. Dress it with Chai Pani's signature cumin-lime dressing.
