Charred tandoori buttered corn on lazy person's raita

Name: Charred tandoori buttered corn on lazy person's raita
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 4 corn cobs

Katrina Meynink

February 26, 2021

Tandoori butter corn with cheat's raita.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

You can simply char entire cobs on the barbecue with the butter and serve the cheat's raita (essentially yoghurt with a few slices and chopped bits of cucumber) on the side for people to help themselves, or you can cut it from the cob straight over the yoghurt. The corn warms the yoghurt and the dollops of charry butter are wonderful.

Ingredients

4 corn cobs

Tandoori butter*

2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

Raita

½ cup packed coriander leaves, chopped
½ cup packed mint leaves, chopped
½ cup yoghurt
½ cup Persian-style feta
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garam masala
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced into rounds and roughly chopped (reserve a few rounds to serve)
coarsely torn coriander leaves, to serve

Method

1. For the butter combine all ingredients in a bowl and use a fork to stir and mash it until incorporated. Cover and set aside. If not using immediately, place in the fridge until ready to use.
2. For the raita add all ingredients except for the cucumber to a blender and blitz briefly until smooth. (You can refrigerate this if you would like to prepare it in advance. It will hold in the fridge for up to three days.) When ready to serve, spread across the base of a serving plate and top with the cucumber and coarsely torn coriander leaves.
3. Preheat a chargrill pan over high heat. Meanwhile, par-boil thecorn in a saucepan of simmering salted water over medium-high heat for 5 minutes and drain well. Dollop over 4-6 tablespoons of the tandoori butter on the corn cobs and chargrill, turning often, until lightly charred in spots and the butter has melted gloriously into all the corn's crevices (about 5-10 minutes).
4. Serve the corn as is with the raita or cut the kernels off the cobs – being careful as they hold a lot of heat – straight over the yoghurt and use a spoon to scoop any leftover butter from the grill onto the corn and yoghurt. Serve warm.
*You will have more butter than you need for this recipe but it's glorious on all manner of veg and proteins and will keep covered in the fridge for up to four months.
Note: If you were planning a corn eating extravaganza (may I join you?) you could serve this with my corn chaat with tomato and tamarind chutney, they go together brilliantly.