Nisha Katona: Chef, former Great British Menu judge and Mowgli founder shares her quick Indian recipes

“Nothing speaks of a late-night street market in the East more than the golden flickering embers of a sweetcorn hawker’s stall,” says Nisha Katona, star of new ITV1 series, Nisha Katona’s Home Kitchen.

“The delicious combination of sharp and heat make these far more than a side-show – they are the very reason that many venture out into the streets at all. These are great cooked under the grill/broiler or on the barbecue. For extra theatre, I like to ask my guests to dress their own pieces of corn before cooking.”

Nisha Katona’s street-hawker sweetcorn

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

2tbsp olive oil

½tsp salt

½tsp chilli powder

1tsp ground cumin

1 lime, halved

4 corn on the cob

Method:

Preheat the grill/broiler to high and line a grill pan with foil, or prepare a barbecue/grill for cooking.

Put the oil, salt, chilli powder and ground cumin in a bowl and stir to combine. Dip the cut sides of the lime halves into the oil-and-spice mixture, then rub all over the pieces of corn. Re-dip as necessary, until the corn is well-coated.

Put the corn onto the prepared grill pan and under the grill, or place directly onto the barbecue and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning regularly and basting with any remaining spiced oil, until lightly charred and golden all over. Serve hot.

Nisha Katona’s ginger beer pork

“I love the bite and fragrance of ginger with pork, and the addition of ginger beer in this super-simple dish makes it the work of moments,” says chef and restaurateur Nisha Katona.

“The sweetness that the ginger beer brings is also wonderful when offset with the pungent, savoury hit of the English mustard. You could use wholegrain or Dijon if you prefer, both of which would give a slightly tart edge to the dish that would also be very welcome.”

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

3tbsp vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 pork loin medallions

½tsp salt

½tsp ground black pepper

150ml ginger beer

1 heaped tsp English mustard

150ml crème fraîche

2tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan/skillet over a medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring and being careful not to let it burn. Add the pork to the pan and cook for three minutes on each side, until golden.

Season the pork with the salt and pepper, then pour over the ginger beer and add the mustard.

Give everything a stir, then add the crème fraîche and stir again to combine. Cook for two to three minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly.

Divide the pork medallions between serving plates and spoon over the sauce.

Serve the pork garnished with the chopped parsley and with your choice of cooked vegetables alongside.

Nisha Katona’s Indian fish finger sandwich

“This dish is an ode to my mother’s ability to meddle,” says Mowgli restaurateur Nisha Katona.

“When we first discovered McDonald’s in the UK in 1978, we would drive all the way to London for a Filet-O-Fish. In the back of our Ford Anglia, Ma would open her handbag and produce some homemade green chilli pickle and finely sliced red onion and set to work on her hard-won prize. As children, we were always mortified, but it turns out that mothers really do know best.”

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

Vegetable oil, for frying

125g gram/chickpea flour, plus extra for sprinkling

½tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

½tsp ground turmeric

1/8tsp chilli powder

½tsp ajwain seeds

1tsp white poppy seeds

350g white fish fillets (haddock or cod work well), cut into 12 goujons

8 slices white bread, buttered

For the gherkin and coriander raita:

250g Greek yoghurt

Juice of ¼ lemon

½tsp ground cumin

½ clove garlic, crushed

½tsp salt

2tbsp roughly chopped gherkins

Small handful fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped

Method:

Following manufacturers’ guidelines, add oil to a deep-fat fryer and preheat to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. If you don’t have a deep-fat dryer, simply put four centimetres of vegetable oil in the base of a large pan and set over a medium-high heat.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt, baking powder, ground turmeric, chilli powder, ajwain seeds and poppy seeds and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in around 150 mililitres cold water to make a thick batter.

Check the oil by carefully dropping a small spoonful of batter into it – if the batter bubbles and floats to the surface then it is ready. Sprinkle the fish goujons with a little flour, then dip them into the batter to cover, shaking off any excess. Carefully lower the coated goujons into the oil and fry for three to four minutes, until the batter is puffed and golden and the fish is cooked through. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the elements.

To make the raita, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

Spread each of the bread slices with some of the raita. Lay the goujons over half of the bread slices, then top the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Cut into halves and enjoy!