Prep: 20 mins · Cook: 30 mins · Serves: 4 · Vegetarian (Vegan with oil and dairy-free cheese)

The dish Neetu makes when courgettes need a reason to be there. Halved, hollowed out, blind-baked, then stuffed with a mushroom and cheese filling spiked with Chilli Chutney and finished under a melting layer of cheese on top. Looks impressive on the table, takes less than an hour, and turns courgette from a side dish into the main event.

Why you'll love this

• Courgettes done properly, no soggy middle

• One vegetable, dinner sorted

• Vegetarian with an easy vegan swap

• Heat from the chutney baked right into the filling

• Looks like more effort than it is

Ingredients

Main

• 4 thick fresh green courgettes

• 4 tbsp butter (or 2 tbsp oil for a vegan version)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

• 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)

• ½ cup crumbly cheese or paneer

• 1 cup grated cheese, for the topping

• ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped

Spices and seasoning

• Salt, to taste

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

The Mama Sood's bit

• 1 to 2 tsp Mama Sood's Chilli Chutney (adjust to taste)

To serve

• A spoon of Mama Sood's Date & Tamarind Chutney

• Fresh salad

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C / gas mark 6 and place a wire rack over a baking tray (or bake straight on the tray if you prefer).

• Wash the courgettes and cut them in half lengthways. Scoop out the soft middle with a teaspoon, reserving the flesh. Brush the outsides with a little oil and place green-side up. Bake blind at gas mark 4 for 10 minutes.

• While the courgettes bake, finely chop the scooped-out flesh.

• Heat half the butter (or oil) in a pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and let them sauté for a minute. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the chopped courgette flesh, mushrooms, green chilli and black pepper, and cook until all the water has gone from the pan.

• Stir in the crumbly cheese or paneer and the Chilli Chutney. Mix well, then take the pan off the heat. Stir through half the coriander and the remaining butter to bring the filling together.

• Take the courgettes out of the oven and turn them over. Spoon the filling into each cavity and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

• Turn the oven up to gas mark 6 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Keep an eye on them so the tops don't catch.

• Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with Date & Tamarind Chutney and a fresh salad on the side.

Serving suggestion Two halves on a plate with a sharp green salad and a spoon of chutney for a proper light dinner. One half as a side with grilled chicken or fish. Or cut into smaller pieces and put out as a sharing starter.

Mama's tip Cook the filling until the pan is properly dry. Mushrooms and courgette both let out a lot of water, and any of it left in the pan ends up pooling in the courgette shells under the cheese. Keep the heat moving and wait for the moment the pan looks slick rather than wet. That's when the filling is ready.

About the chutney Two chutneys, two jobs. Mama Sood's Chilli Chutney goes into the filling and brings sharp green heat that runs through every bite. Mama Sood's Date & Tamarind Chutney goes on the side and works as a dip, deep and sweet against the savoury cheese. The first one builds the dish from the inside, the second one finishes it from the outside.