Street Snack · Charcoal-Grilled

Balal (Grilled Corn)

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There's no butter in sight — vendors dunk the charred cob straight into a bucket of salted water instead.

Balal is corn on the cob grilled whole over charcoal until the kernels blacken and blister, then dipped in a bucket of salt water for seasoning instead of butter or oil. Carts appear on Iranian sidewalks and in parks every summer evening.

Why it's made this way: Salt water seasons the charred kernels without masking the smoky flavor, and it's cheaper and more practical for a cart vendor to carry than butter.