Pakistan

In Pakistan, corn on the cob is roasted directly in scorching hot sand.

Street vendors, including those outside schools and in markets, bury the cob in hot sand in a large iron pan, turning it regularly until it is evenly roasted all the way round.

The sand presses tightly against the cob, conducting heat from every side, with no oil and no direct flame.

The dish is called rait wala bhutta — literally “sand corn” — and is still sold from street carts across Pakistan and northern India, often served with lemon, chilli and salt.