30 Minute Mowgli

November 1, 2021
British chef Katona (The Spice Tree), founder of the Indian restaurant chain Mowgli Street Food, draws inspiration from her home kitchen to offer simple and speedy dishes that are big on flavor. “Though you will not find the long-simmered curries or slow-roasted meats that adorn Mowgli’s menu within these pages, these recipes are what I actually cook at home on a daily basis,” she writes. Packed with savory and robust dishes, the collection features highlights such as aromatic spiced lamb and apricot wraps, a tangy tamarind salmon curry, and a fire-roasted quick angry tandoori (because, as Katona writes, “Everyone needs a good tandoori recipe up their sleeves”). She pays homage to the women in her family with their favorites, including a Million-Dollar Dahl, from her mother-in-law, and a comforting mushroom curry inspired by her mother’s childhood in India. In line with her promise to keep recipes hassle-free, Katona offers “shameless shortcuts,” such as using canned spinach and stock cubes (an easy substitute for the “salty, sweet hit” that typically only comes from long simmers) for readers short on time and space. Meanwhile, a breakdown of Indian spices takes the guesswork out of achieving complex flavors at a “moment’s notice.” Home cooks won’t be left wanting.