KITCHEN TABLE
SASSY STREET FOOD
In Mowgli Street Food (Nourish, $27.95) Nisha Katona serves recipes full of the zing of Indian street food from her hugely popular chain of Mowgli Street Food restaurants in England.
MOWGLI CHIP BUTTY
Image credit: Mowgli Street Food by Nisha Katona.
5 large potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tsp ground turmeric
Salt
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2½ tsp chat masala
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh cilantro
4 tbsp green chilli pickle*
4 rotis
4 tbsp Mowgli chutney*
In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the chopped potatoes, a pinch of salt and ground turmeric and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are soft but still hold together. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the drained potatoes and fry for 8 minutes, stirring regularly until golden brown and crisp.
Put them potatoes in a large bowl and add the red onions, chat masala, ground coriander, fresh coriander, green chili pickle and ½ tsp salt and toss well until everything is fully combined.
Lay each roti out on a flat surface. Spread with a tbsp of Mowgli chutney down the middle of each. Spoon equal amounts of the fried potatoes on top, then carefully roll each roti tightly. Using a sharp knife cut each chip butty in half, then serve wit the remaining fried potatoes.
* GREEN CHILLI PICKLE
Image credit: Mowgli Street Food by Nisha Katona.
10 tbsp black mustard seeds
400 gm chopped green chilli
6 tbsp rock salt
Juice of 6 lemons
2 tbsp ground turmeric
450 ml mustard/canola oil
Grind the mustard seeds to a coarse powder in a pestle and mortar.
In a sterilized glass jar, add the green chillies, ground mustard and salt. Cover the jar tightly with a lid, give everything a good shake, then set aside for 3 days.
After 3 days, add the lemon juice and ground turmeric and give it a stir with a non-reactive spoon. Replace the lid tightly and leave undisturbed for 2 days.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke, then remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins. Pour over the pickle, replace the lid tightly and leave for 5 days to let the pickling process happen.
After 5 days, you can store the pickle in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
* MOWGLI CHUTNEY
Image credit: Mowgli Street Food by Nisha Katona.
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
5 curry leaves
6 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tbsp chilli powder
½ tbsp ground turmeric
2 green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
Put the vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds until the cumin seeds turn dark brown and release their fragrance.
Add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, ground turmeric and green chilli and stir well. Turn the heat down to low and fry for 5 mins., stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to soften.
Add the salt, then cover the pan and cook for 15 mins. until the tomatoes have cooked down and released their liquid. Remove the lid and stir until a smooth sauce forms. Continue to cook for a further 5 mins to thicken slightly. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to a month. Once open, refrigerate and eat within a week.
THE CLASSIC MOWGLI PRAWN CURRY
Image credit: Mowgli Street Food by Nisha Katona.
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tsp paanch phoron
1 large green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
400 gms can chopped tomatoes
400 gms raw king prawns/jumbo shrimp
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp muscovado sugar
2 tsp English mustard paste
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tsp salt
Put the oil in a large non-stick pan set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the paanch phoron and green chilli and fry for 30 seconds, then add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 mins until the oil starts to separate from the tomatoes slightly.
Add the prawns, ground turmeric, chilli powder, sugar and mustard paste and fry for 3 mins. Add the frozen peas, 1 cup water and salt and stir until everything is mixed. Cover and simmer for 6-8 mins. until the prawns are cooked through.
Mowgli Street Food by Nisha Katona is published by Nourish, $27.95.