Corn Chat Shots

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 corn on the cob 
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 2 green chilies (according to preference)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp chat masala powder
• 2 tbsp mint chutney
• 2 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney
• Salt

Preparation:

• Steam the corn on cob for 20 to 25 minutes. With help of a knife chop all the corn from the cob.
• Chop and keep all the vegetables ready (onion, tomato, green chilies and fresh coriander)

Method:

1. In a large bowl add cooked and steamed corn kernels, onion, tomato, green chilies, chopped coriander, lemon juice, cumin powder, black pepper powder, chat masala powder, mint chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and salt. 
2. Mix well and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Serve the chat in shot glasses.

Tamarind Sweet Chutney:

1. Take a lemon size piece of dry tamarind.
2. Soak it in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes.
3. Squeeze out all the pulp into the water and sieve. Take only the tamarind juice juice and discard the remainder. (tamarind juice will be like a thick pulp)
4. Boil the juice with 4 tbsp jaggery, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp black salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper powder.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Add water if needed.

Mint Chutney: (Grind together)

• 1 tsp grated garlic
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 or 3 tbsp of water for grinding

Baked Marrow with Mince Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 10 small or medium size marrows 
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 50 gms butter
• 4 tbsp olive oil

For mince stuffing:

• 500 gms mince (beef/mutton)
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt
• 4 tbsp of cooking oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped spring onion (green & white)
• 1 or 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped capsicum
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix together first 9 ingredients of the mince stuffing. Mix well and marinate the mince for 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add the marinated mince and cook on high heat for 30 seconds by stirring constantly. 
3. Cover and cook on low flame till the mince is fully cooked. Dry out the liquid if any by cooking without lid.
4. Then add last seven ingredients and cook on high heat for 1 minute. Stir well, check the salt and adjust all the spices.
5. Remove from heat and cool it before using it as a stuffing. 
6. Preheat oven to 250 deg C. 
7. Take each marrow and cut into half length wise and scoop out the pulp from the center to make it look like a boat. 
8. Drizzle some olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Stuff each marrow with mince as much as it can hold. Sprinkle some cheese and butter on each of them and again bake till the cheese melts. (for about 10 to 15 minutes)
10. Serve hot as a snack or as a light dinner.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 300 gms fresh paneer
• 2 bunches of spinach leaves
• 1 large onion
• 1 large tomato
• 1 small green capsicum
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp kasoori methi
• 2 to 3 green chilies
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 8 cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp of cooking oil

Preparation:

• Wash & roughly chop the spinach.
• Chop 1 large onion, 1 large tomato, 1 small capsicum, 3 green chilies, mint leaves, coriander leaves and garlic.
• Cut paneer into cubes.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry whole cumin till it changes color. Then add chopped onion and fry till soft along with green chilies.
2. Add 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste, chopped mint leaves and cashew nuts.
3. Fry for some time and add tomato, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Saute for 5 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
4. Now add finely chopped capsicum, chopped spinach, kasoori methi and chopped coriander leaves along with salt. Place the lid and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. 
5. Remove the spinach masala from heat, cool it and grind to a smooth paste.
6. In the same sauce pan, heat 3 tbsp butter and fry chopped garlic till aromatic.
7. Then add paneer cubes and saute gently for 1 or 2 minutes. To this add the spinach masala paste and stir gently. Add 1 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, salt if needed and 1/4 cup (or less) cream.
8. Place the lid and cook on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes till the gravy starts to boil.
9. Serve hot with Naan or roti.