Poppy seed potatoes and chicken kebabs: Nisha Katona’s recipes for home-style Indian favourites

Nisha Katona, founder of the Mowgli Street Food restaurant chain, challenges the common perception that Indian cooking is inherently time-consuming and complex. Drawing from her earliest memories of cooking with her grandmother in Varanasi, northern India, and her experiences in various family and restaurant kitchens, Katona emphasizes the simplicity and speed with which delicious, home-style Indian dishes can be prepared. She highlights two such 'favourites' – poppy seed potatoes and chicken kebabs – as examples of how 'magic' can be created in 'mere minutes' using a manageable number of ingredients. Her approach aims to demystify Indian cuisine, making it accessible and enjoyable for home cooks, reflecting a personal journey rooted in authentic, sensory kitchen tasks from her childhood.