Chetna Makan’s recipes for corn on the cob curry and coriander mint chutney butter corn

Inspired by a corn curry from Maharashtra, today’s recipe has the perfect umami flavour: a bit of heat from the chillies, some gentle sweetness from the sugar and lots of sourness from the lime juice, along with the creamy coconut milk and juicy corn. The sharpness of a fresh, herby chutney with salty butter, meanwhile, makes the perfect topping for barbecued corn on the cob. I often cook the corn straight on the hob, which is a bit tricky, but it’s how we did it when I was growing up in India.Prep 10 min Cook 45 min Serves 4-6For the curry4 corn cobs, cut in half widthways2-3 tbsp peanut oil, or sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped20 curry leaves 400ml coconut milk 1 tsp saltFor the curry paste40g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks10g fresh mint, leaves only6 garlic cloves, peeled2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled 4 green chillies, stalks discarded, flesh roughly chopped (remove the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat) 1 medium-sized red onion, peeled and roughly chopped1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsp soft brown sugar ½ tsp ground turmeric 4 tbsp lime juicePut the corn pieces in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain

How to make fried tofu with chilli crisp – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

The New York Times once described raw tofu as having “the texture and disposition of a particularly upbeat sponge” – sauteeing, the writer decreed, was the only way to render the stuff “acceptable”. As it happens, I often eat the creamy, wobbly silken variety straight from the packet, but I wouldn’t disagree: you don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy a hot, crisp nugget of deep-fried beancurd.Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Serves 2About 280g firm or extra-firm tofu – if using silken, skip step 3Salt and black pepper 4 tbsp cornflour, or other starch (optional)Neutral oil, for deep-frying For the chilli crisp (if making)1½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns 3-4 tbsp gochuharu, or other chilli flakes to taste 30g roasted salted peanuts, or soybeans, roughly chopped1 tbsp fermented black beans, finely chopped (optional)250ml neutral oil1 long shallot, or 2 round ones, peeled and thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced1 tsp sugar (optional)¼ tsp MSG powder (optional)Firm or extra-firm tofu is the best choice for frying – silken will be creamy inside, and pressed tofu chewier and more meaty. For the neatest results, cut into bite-sized nuggets about 3cm x 2cm. If you value crunch over appearance, break it into bite-sized pieces instead; the rougher edges will crisp up better than perfectly flat surfaces

Tillingham, Peasmarsh, East Sussex: ‘Not much cooking was going on’ – restaurant review

The restaurant of this farm in breathtakingly beautiful countryside is missing its potentialTillingham is essentially a natural biodynamic wine production business working over 70 acres of gently rolling countryside, near Rye and the Romney Marshes in East Sussex. If only their main trouble was making bottles of chardonnay and pinot blanc, or selling pretty Tillingham tea towels at £36 a pop. But no, Tillingham has (quite literally) many other plates to juggle: it has a fancy restaurant and a vast barn from which they serve pizza, too.There’s also the option to stay over in bell tents, no less, if posh hen weekends or corporate bonding sessions are required. Or in bricks-and-mortar rooms with actual plumbing, if the tent’s compost toilet is not for you

Vegan burgers are losing the US culture war over meat: ‘It’s not our moment’

Plant-based burgers were supposed to help wean Americans off their environmentally ruinous appetite for meat. But sales have plummeted amid a surging pro-meat trend embraced by the Trump administration, raising a key question – will vegetarianism ever take hold in the US?This year has been a punishing one for the plant-based meat sector, led by companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, with sales of refrigerated products slumping 17%. This follows a difficult 2024, during which sales fell 7%, furthering a multi-year spiral – last year Americans purchased 75m fewer units of plant-based meat than they did in 2022.Despite hopes that burgers, sausages and chicken made from soy, peas and beans would curb Americans’ love of eating butchered animals – thereby reducing the rampant deforestation, water pollution and planet-heating emissions involved in raising livestock – these alternatives languish at just 1% of the total meat market in the US.Instead, a resurgent focus on meat has swept the US, pushed by industry lobbyists and online wellness influencers who advocate greater protein consumption via the carnivore diet and deride plant alternatives as overly processed

Helen Goh’s recipe for plum and star anise frangipane tart | The sweet spot

Late-season plums are wonderful to bake with; juicy and slightly astringent as you get closer to the skin, they soften into a rich, almost winey sweetness. And, when they’re nestled into soft almond cream and scented with star anise, they make a delicious tart for any time of day. Serve warm with pouring cream as pudding or cold with a cup of tea.Prep 15 minChill 1 hr 30 min Cook 1 hr 45 min Serves 8-10For the pastry 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 90g icing sugar ¼ tsp salt 200g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus an extra 10g, melted, for greasingFinely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 large egg yolk 20ml ice-cold waterFor the plums 4-5 medium plums (about 100g each), halved, stoned and sliced into 1cm-wide wedges1 tbsp caster sugar 3 whole star anise (about 3g), finely ground in a mortar to get 1½ tspFor the filling125g unsalted butter, at room temperature125g caster sugar Finely grated zest of 1 orange¼ tsp fine sea salt ½ tsp almond extract, or vanilla extract 2 eggs, at room temperature40g plain flour 125g ground almonds Icing sugar, to finishTo make the pastry, put the flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine and aerate. Add the butter and lemon zest, then process to the consistency of fresh breadcrumbs

Why Portuguese red blends fly off the shelves | Hannah Crosbie on drinks

It has come to my attention that I haven’t written a column dedicated to red wine in almost two months. So sue me – it’s been hot. Mercifully, though, temperatures look to be dropping soon, so we can once again cup the bowl of a wine glass without worrying about it getting a little warmer as its aromas unfasten.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link