Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: Kashmiri Bob on October 06, 2025, 01:33 PM
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Takeaway yesterday. Khyber Pass. Birmingham. One of JerryM’s favourite places. We went there together all those years ago.
Now in Andy Munro’s top 6 list of Birmingham balti houses; where he describes it as “one for the balti connoisseur...”. I will put together a review. First impressions. 10/10. For now, here are a couple of photos.
(https://i.ibb.co/zKMpC70/DSC-0136.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JX1V8yM)
(https://i.ibb.co/SDVS2PN3/DSC-0137.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZRc93VdM)
(https://i.ibb.co/KxGmHgkc/DSC-0139-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wv3s1XwN)
Rob
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A photo taken inside (with permission).
(https://i.ibb.co/93GGdQPW/DSC-0135.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Nn77GcRK)
I got there early doors on Sunday, 5.00 pm. The tables on the right hand side of the restaurant had been arranged for a pre-booked party of 15. Formica table tops. No fancy PoS till ordering system here. Hand wrote my order on a carbon receipt note pad. Top copy for the kitchen, the duplicate stuck on the spike of a little round stand, on the counter. There were a couple of orders before mine. The waiter told me that the polished wooden panelling was over 40 years old. Nice!
Rob
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I have a load of those 'Especially cooked for you' carrier bags... from people who order takeaways..
I have asked them to save them (mostly from Chinese takeaway), so I can give out my dishes as they want them... got to be eco-friendly, right?
How was the food? (10/10 - missed that bit)
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Hi Bob. The food was top drawer overall, imo. My order was a seekh kebab starter, which included a relatively large bag of salad, a couple of lemon wedges and a pot of mint dip. Two mains, Balti chicken and Balti meat pathia. Boiled rice. Received 3 complementary papadums and another pot of mint dip. Bill was £14.90. Will hopefully be going again this Sunday. Mean to write a review, but the words don’t seem to come as easily for me these days. Only criticism perhaps was the meat (lamb) for the pathia. Plenty of it and very tender, but not much taste, to be honest. Incredible pathia sauce though. Zing!
Also looking forward to make this balti myself, as in TA form the sauce appearance (and texture) is remarkably similar to the elusive Adil’s. Also, both use rotisserie strip for the Balti chicken. Will be making a start on it this week. All good fun.
Rob
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Bill was £14.90.
:omg: You couldn't even get the two mains for that price down here, let alone the accompanying rice and the kebab starter. At those prices I'd be ordering in regularly. You lucky person Rob
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From the menu was expecting to pay more Dave. Looks like a hefty 30% knocked off for TA collection. Not counting the freebies either. Their papadums are 80p each, which is why I didn’t order any :)
Decent size portions (deep Satco TA containers) too. It took me 4 days to get through it all. The balti is so quirky. Have a look at this:
(https://i.ibb.co/RGrB9j7j/DSC-0239-1-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bjw2Pb7b)
Anyway, soon after I got home both of the baltis started talking to me. The pathia was very chatty. Proportions aside, reckon I know exactly how they have been put together, including the “signature” ingredient(s).
I am getting quite excited.
Rob
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Here are Shababs' options. Fascinating isn't it?
(https://i.ibb.co/j9b88h03/DSC-0238.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y4PNN2nf)
Rob
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Proportions aside, reckon I know exactly how they have been put together, including the “signature” ingredient(s).
More details, please! Even if it's just speculation I like to hear about how different places put their dishes together.
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Proportions aside, reckon I know exactly how they have been put together, including the “signature” ingredient(s).
More details, please! Even if it's just speculation I like to hear about how different places put their dishes together.
Sure. Can certainly make a start. The main theme (signature) of the Khyber balti is its zing. It's also spicy, fruity, and really sweet. Lemon, including its zest are fundamental in preparing this balti (100%). It really is a balti zest fest. I suspect granulated citric acid may also be involved. I have already started trying it out (East End brand). The other critical component is tinned pineapple, with juice. Lots of it (100%). In addition to its flavour, this also allows a partially flocked finish of the balti, whilst still keeping it quite saucy. Made separately, the pineapple component would also allow dilution of the balti (to make it milder), if required. This point isn't really important at the moment, but the sauce's finish is. Jumping ahead somewhat, but a part of wants this balti approach (citrus) to unlock the elusive Adil's. It just might. I have a feeling the Khyber and Adil’s are closely related to one another.
Will know more soon, hopefully. Getting the proportions/balance absolutely right is the aim. Here are some more photos of the Balti chicken (reheats), including something I fished out of it. Also, a work in progress base gravy (thanks Mick) version. The last photo is a homemade Khyber balti chicken. Tantalisingly close to the original. Zing! The naan shown is also homemade.
It’s worth mentioning that I am not trying to improve on Mick’s Al Frash recipe here. Far from it. Both of these baltis are as good as each other. Both superb. Just a different take. I actually prefer Mick’s one to be honest.
(https://i.ibb.co/NvfSDBp/DSC-0141.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KPBw4v7)
(https://i.ibb.co/svZXzB0z/DSC-0164-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xSNrd4pd)
(https://i.ibb.co/Z6c4CNDN/DSC-0162.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N6WDz7B7)
(https://i.ibb.co/nNsqXcFG/DSC-0170-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LXzDTt3F)
(https://i.ibb.co/XrGVKhGr/DSC-0153-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NdG7J8Gd)
(https://i.ibb.co/XkrN4vsZ/DSC-0244.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wp4q3YyW)
(https://i.ibb.co/RTCjdJCq/DSC-0253.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gZD4hcDx)
Rob
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I'm so enjoying the balti journey. I just wish I could get a proper one locally so I could truly understand the flavours and uniqueness and why the balti is driving this much passion.
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Have an epic man-flu now. Blast it. Normal service should be resumed shortly :)
This was some of the real deal Khyber pathia. Previously frozen and defrosted. Put some in a bowl for a quick supper. Noticed quite a lot of liquid coming out of it, so left it for a while. Syringed off before reheating. Clearly not oil. Pineapple juice/pulp. It was the same with the Balti chicken, albeit less obvious. The relatively light texture of the sauces is identical to Adil’s.
(https://i.ibb.co/TfJMYYQ/DSC-0179-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cBRhkkW)
(https://i.ibb.co/JF72Yqq8/DSC-0181.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0VMZ0KK1)
Rob
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Think that is quite normal when you freeze and defrost stuff like curries. Just water ice crystals form quicker when freezing and also defrost first, thus leaving water around it. I always reheat frozen food like that in a pan, so you can mix it all back together easier and evaporate some of the water.
Looks really yummy anyway.
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Apart from the chips :smile:
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Think that is quite normal when you freeze and defrost stuff like curries. Just water ice crystals form quicker when freezing and also defrost first, thus leaving water around it. I always reheat frozen food like that in a pan, so you can mix it all back together easier and evaporate some of the water.
Looks really yummy anyway.
Have made another Balti chicken and frozen it. Will be interesting to see what happens after defrosting; may give an idea on how much pulp to use. Also now blending the pulp with blitzed onion and fresh garlic, although I think this will actually need pre-cooking. The idea is I will have two pans to make the curry. The base gravy and the pulp. Dispensing with the pan fry onion/garlic approach at the start. No green pepper either. Also omit the green (and red) pepper from the base gravy. I may change my mind on this last idea, but at the moment am not buying into it, for this balti.
Rob
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Apart from the chips :smile:
Recommend the Samphire Fries I posted recently Phil. On the menu at Rajah Monkey, Birmingham (part of the Lasan group). A reasonably priced high-end dining accompaniment. Just £4.50. Actually the cheapest thing there, except for the papadum basket, which is £3.50, I think.
Found they are also mighty fine with a Craster kipper, vinegar and tomato ketchup.
Rob
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Homemade Balti chicken (madras). With rice and mango chutney.
(https://i.ibb.co/jk4xq1M8/DSC-0370.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4K3Xz2f)
(https://i.ibb.co/RGjk5RRC/DSC-0380.jpg) (https://ibb.co/twLTdVVb)
Too much pulp in this one. Lost the taste/flavour.
Rob
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Balti meat (pathia) with egg fried rice.
(https://i.ibb.co/tPQNCZzm/DSC-0053.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WpGdKD0x)
(https://i.ibb.co/5xvJQ3gg/DSC-0069.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wrC2nqFF)
(https://i.ibb.co/0RpbzknJ/DSC-0029.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2104pwFK)
Would have preferred mutton, but economising.
Rob
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(https://i.ibb.co/fVC0TCpZ/DSC-0097-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1Y9249qB)
Balti chana masala. With freshly made naan, left over french fries and egg fried rice. Just needed 1L of diet coke to complete the order.
Rob